From the Kitchen of The Cookworm

Southwestern Inspired Quinoa Salad 

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup good quality chicken broth

• 1 fresh tomato 1/8th inch diced
• 1-2 sprigs oregano leaves roughly chopped
• 1/8 cup fresh copped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-4 tablespoons of good olive oil

Optional – choose one, two or all of the following

• 1/8 cup – 1/8th inch diced red bell pepper
• 1/8 cup - 1/8th inch diced yellow bell pepper
• 1/8 cup black beans
• 1/8 cup corn
• 1/8 cup - 1/8th inch diced avocado

Instructions

Using a fine metal strainer, rinse 1 cup of quinoa for about 3 minutes. Then pour the quinoa into the pot that you will be cooking it in. Cover with room temperature tap water and let sit for 15 minutes.

Drain the quinoa again and then pour back into the pot. Add 1 cup organic chicken stock and stir. Add sprig of Cilantro to the top. Bring to a low boil (just when the bubbles start appearing), stir again and immediately cover. Cook on low heat for 30-35 minutes. Do not touch. While the quinoa is cooking, prep your salad ingredients.

At the end of cooking, remove the quinoa from the heat, quickly add your salad ingredients, stir with a fork, recover and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork again and serve.