summer salad

I haven't shared a recipe in ages, so here's one for a salad we've been eating a lot of lately. The measurements aren't exact, since I never really measure anything. So feel free to mess around with the amounts or ingredients, depending on your tastes and what you have at home.

By the way, quinoa is a South American plant with edible seeds. It's very high in protein and has an interesting flavour. You should be able to find it in the natural foods section of a largish grocery store.

sorry for the crappy photo, my dining room is a bit dim

Summer Quinoa Salad

2 cups uncooked quinoa
1 can of cooked beans, drained and rinsed (I used navy and black beans)
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 sweet yellow pepper, chopped
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1.5 cups frozen peas
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (i.e. the leafy part of coriander)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp lime juice
finely chopped green chili, or hot sauce to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Or bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add quinoa, reduce heat and simmer until most of the water has been absorbed (~10 min). Remove from heat, cover pot, and let sit another 10 min until all water has been absorbed.

Place the beans, veggies, and dressing ingredients in a bowl. This makes a lot of salad, enough for at least 8 people, so you need a big bowl. Add the cooked quinoa. If it's still warm, it will thaw the peas for you. If it's cold already, rinse the peas with some warm water to thaw them first. Stir to mix well, and taste for seasoning.

Refrigerate for a few hours before serving (or just eat it warm if you're impatient and hungry).