Many people think that having a gluten allergy leads to insanity. Much to the dismay of my local psychotherapist, Bob’s Redmill All purpose flour allows me to enjoy the foods I love without having a painful (or embarrassing) reaction.
When you have a toddler, it’s imperative to find recipes that are ‘quick and easy’ – otherwise, you end up eating chips and salsa with four sides of chardonnay. For this reason, (and because I don’t look my best in an apron) everything I make is fairly simple with the bonus of being arguably more healthy.
*Tip: Make it the night before since it’s intended to be served cool.
Ingredients
2 cups water
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt , divided
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 a diced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Step 1:
Cook the quinoa in the 2 cups of water. Set it aside to cool. (I put it in the fridge to cool because I am incredibly impatient.)
Step 2:
Vinaigrette time. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
Step 3:
Veggie time. Toss parsley, mint, bell pepper, tomatoes and cucumber together in a large bowl.
Unsolicited advice:
I like to color coordinate my vegetables. If you are not OCD about the appearance of salad, substitute red peppers for yellow because red ones have significantly more Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Step 4:
Add the cooled quinoa and veggies to the vinaigrette and gently mix to coat.
Step 5:
Pour yourself some vino and enjoy!
