Vegan Quinoa and Feta Summer Salad

I am that person who loves everything with extra Lemon! I truly believe that almost all dishes would benefit from an addition of some sort of lemon flavour, So, this lemony, fresh salad is exactly the type of thing I love to make.
I find that quinoa is a little bit more grainy in texture than other grains, I mean, It doesn't really soften all the way like rice or pasta do.
Some people don’t really like the texture of quinoa, if you are one of those people, this is the salad for you! Served cold and full of dressing, the quinoa’s texture hardly feels different than the other ingredients in the salad. Together with the rest of the ingredients, the quinoa successfully combines to be a spoonful of lemony goodness. 
This salad is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and grains. Yay!

Quinoa
Quinoa is incredibly nutritious, it is one of the few plant foods considered a complete source of protein. Complete protein means that it contains all eight essential amino acids that your body needs. Quinoa is also rich in antioxidants and in high fiber content, which helps promote digestive health and manage blood sugar levels. 
Raw Red onion
Onions are low in calories yet high in nutrients, including vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium. Red onions are also known to have anti-bacterial qualities and has been linked to reduction of risk factor for certain types of cancers. They are also colorful and so so flavorful!
Parsley
I love using fresh parsley, I love it's smell, I love the taste and I love the benefits of fresh organic parsley - It is a low-calorie, nutrient-dense herb. It’s particularly rich in vitamins K, A, and C. 

Whenever I go into the kitchen, whether it is for cooking or baking, I need to have my music with me. I thought it would be nice to share with you the exact song that describes my feeling towards each recipe. That way you can have a similar experience while cooking... 

Recipe's song:

This recipe is colorful, refreshing and flavorful, I feel that the right song for this is a fun one like Cheerleader by OMI

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Let's start:​

Prep time: 10 min.	Cooking time: 15 min.
Cooling time: 2-3 hours	Difficulty: simple
Servings: 6 ppl

 

Quinoa salad with fresh lemon 

Tools: Pot Sieve Cutting board Knife Mixing bowl

Ingredients: 1 cup of uncooked quinoa 2 cups of water 2 tomatoes /1 pack of cherry tomatoes 1 red onion, minced Half a cup of olives 1 mini cucumber (half a cup of cut cucumber) Handful of fresh parsley, chopped ⅓ package of violife feta cheese 3 tbsp olive oil 1 ½ lemons Table salt and pepper A few spring mix leaves

Instructions: Prepare the quinoa - boil the water, add the quinoa, stir and cover. Leave the pot on low heat for 15 minutes. After cooking, remove from heat and drain any extra water from quinoa. Leave to cool down.  Cut the tomatoes, cucumber and onion into small cubes, add to your mixing bowl. Combine the cooled down quinoa with your chopped vegetables. Slice the olives, add the olives and chopped parsley to your salad. Add lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste.  The salad will be better served after sitting in the fridge for a few hours Before serving - cut feta cheese to cubes / crumble it with your hands or a fork and place on top of your salad. Garnish with a little za’atar or sumak and serve on top of spring mix leaves. Enjoy!

 

Quinoa summer salad

 

 

Have you already tried it?

Go ahead, share your version with me, take a picture and tag @pwildflour