Mediterranean Quinoa salad

The grain Quinoa has taken the world by storm and hence a must-consume in today's day of being healthy and wise. Quinoa is a pseudocereal with high iron content and super low fat content. The Incas who held crops as sacred referred to quinoa as the ‘mother of all grains’. Still celebrated and respected, 2013 had been declared as the International year of Quinoa by the United Nations.

To make this beautiful salad you need 3-4 cups water or vegetable broth, 1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked, 1/2 cup olives or grapes, 1/3 cup fresh parsley, 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, 1 red onion, 1 cup cherry tomatoes or one large tomato, 1/2 cup broccoli florets, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese.  

You will also need for the dressing ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp water

For the dressing, mince the garlic and squeeze out juice from the lemon. Mix together with the vinegar and the oil.

For the salad, slice the olives or the grapes and chop the parsley and cilantro. Next dice the red onion. Now take some gorgeous red cheery tomatoes and cut them into halves. In case you are using a large tomato instead, scoop out the soggy part and gently cut the crunchy part into long strips. The broccoli needs to be steamed. Parellely the quinoa needs to be boiled in the cooker using one whistle and a one : two water ratio. The grain is cooked and it absorbs the water. Set aside the grain until it is at room temperature. Gently toss the quinoa with the other salad ingredients except the feta. Now pour the dressing into the salad and mix gently. In the end add the feta and salt and pepper to taste.

You are good to go, teenagers and adults absolutely love this salad as the feta lends a lovely kick and the grain a generous body!