~Amanda~
This amazing quinoa salad recipe comes from the same article in Cosmo where I found the incredible recipe for Salmon Cakes and Artichoke Tartar Sauce (see post HERE). They were all part of an article about a ‘Sultry Summer Meal’ and I will say, this Lemony Quinoa Cucumber Pilaf… whew what a flavorful mouthful!… is the definition of a perfect summer salad; it’s so simple and easy to make, it uses fresh and delicious summer ingredients, it is so light and refreshing and healthy, AND it keeps great in the fridge so it’s perfect to make in big batches so it’s always there ready for you to eat!
We all know by now that quinoa is a superfood and it has so many nutritional benefits like being insanely protein packed (it is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids), it’s got plenty of fiber, and it contains iron, lysine, and magnesium. These are all great reasons to incorporate it into your diet, but the main reason I love to make quinoa salads so much is because I really love the flavor of it! Quinoa is fluffy and a bit crunchy and it has a very subtle nutty flavor to it too and it pretty much goes great with anything. This is is great alternative to rice and pasta as well.
The quinoa in this salad is brightened up by adding in some really fresh summer flavors like lemon juice, cucumbers, dill, and mint and then topped with some feta cheese which really adds such a great pop of delicious tangy and salty flavor. These flavors scream summer to me and every time I eat this salad, it just makes me feel so refreshed and happy. It’s the perfect salad to be served with the Salmon Cakes, but it’s also so great to have as a side to burgers, hot dogs, chicken, etc. I love it so much that I even bring a big tub of it for lunch at work some days (like today)… it’s just that good!
- 3 cups water
- 1½ cups quinoa
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- In a small saucepan, combine water and quinoa, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Let it cool completely.
- In a bowl, combine cooled quinoa, cucumber, feta, dill, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Refrigerate until serving time.
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