Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

• 1 cup organic quinoa                                                                               
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup peeled and diced cucumber
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
• ¼ cup kalamata or black olives, chopped
• 1 Tablespoonful chopped mint (optional)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 fresh lemon
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package instructions. Let cool. Combine quinoa, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, cheese, olives, and mint in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Serve as a side salad or add grilled chicken to make it a main dish for lunch. This is also tasty as a topper for tortilla chips. (I like Late July brand chips.)

There are scads of variations for quinoa salad. Experiment to your heart’s content and have fun.