Kiersten's Quinoa Salad

The time has come to post a recipe that was created by yours truly. I only have a few recipes that are my own but I plan to start experimenting more often with culinary ideas that float through my head. I'll leave all of the other thoughts that float through my head out of the discussion as not to scare anyone away. :)

As most of you know by now, I am not a stranger to quinoa dishes. We love this grain at our house because of the nutty flavor, full-bodied texture and high protein content. I am yet to go wrong with a quinoa-centric dish. Quinoa salad is a favorite at our house but every time I make it, I do a slight variation. I have never prepared this exact version and actually, I have never measured the ingredients for any of my quinoa concoctions. I have always prepared each variation by taste and sight. Today, I took the time to measure ingredients in order to share the recipe. Please enjoy!

1 1/2 cups quinoa
3 cups water
3/4 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
4-ounce can sliced black olives
4 ounces soft white cheese (mozzarella, feta or goat cheese work well; today I used Ladysmith cheese from the West Seattle Farmer's Market)
3 to 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In saucepan, bring quinoa and water to full boil. Reduce heat slightly and continue to boil for approximately 15 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Remove from burner and let cool in saucepan for 5 minutes. Spread quinoa across large cookie sheet and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Drizzle olive oil across quinoa and gently mix in with spatula or large rubber spoon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add cucumber, red onion, olives and cheese. Gently distribute ingredients throughout quinoa with spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste and if desired, add one additional tablespoon olive oil. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve for up to 3 days.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I believe the simplicity of this recipe is what makes it so delicious. You can taste each and every flavor because the ingredients are not masked by spices or sauces. The pureness of using only olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper for flavoring helps each ingredient shine through. The Ladysmith cheese that I chose for this version worked perfectly but any soft white cheese should work just as well. Another great variation is to add garbanzo beans. The texture and flavor of the beans goes famously with this salad and they contribute additional protein. Garbanzos also provide several important nutrients including zinc and folate. Finely chopped parsley is a lovely addition to the salad as well.

Feel free to tweak this recipe any which way you choose. It is a great base to use for creating your own variations. I always figure that the worst thing that can happen is that the end result is undesirable. I have been lucky thus far to enjoy every quinoa salad I have created. Another bonus is that Brad and Olivia gobble my quinoa salads down like they are going out of style. I certainly can't complain about that!