QUINOA SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING

This quinoa recipe joins the list for another great salad to make.  This salad can be served as a side dish or as the main dish, particularly for lunch. I found the original recipe in a Canadian Living magazine and made some modifications.  I used one cup of dried french lentils and cooked them in 2.5 cups of water.  French lentils are a smaller lentil and great for using in salads.  They also hold their shape.  To cook the quinoa I used some low salt chicken broth instead of water as I wanted to finish a carton of broth that was in the fridge.  When I use broth in a recipe I won't add salt as there is salt in the broth which adds to the flavour.  I also will not add the tomatoes to the salad until ready to serve.  Since the salad will keep for several days in the fridge, if you add the tomatoes with the other vegetables, I think the salad could become too soggy.   The parsley used in this recipe came from the garden so that was a nice added touch.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup warm water

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp pepper or to taste

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (add when ready to serve)

1 cup diced cucumber or 2 mini cucumbers, diced 

1 - 19 oz can of drained rinsed lentils or 1 cup dried lentils cooked

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup chopped fresh mint or 1 tbsp dried mint

3 green onions thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

In saucepan, bring quinoa, half of the salt and 2 cups water to boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover and simmer until no liquid remains and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

In large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, tahini, warm water, garlic, cumin, pepper and remaining salt. Stir in quinoa, cucumber, lentils, parsley, mint and green onions, tossing to coat.  Serves 6.  Adapted from Canadian Living magazine.