Here in Atlanta it’s totally Spring-ing. We had a hard freeze over the weekend that destroyed my tomatoes, but I remembered to cover the tulips! 
My priorities were a little mixed up, but I need beauty in my life, so maybe not. The rest of the week is more like typical southern spring — sunny, warm, rainy, repeat. With the warmer weather, I tend to do a lot less heavy cooking and a lot more no-cook or low-cook recipes. This spring quinoa salad was inspired by the influx of warm breeze gently blowing into my kitchen from the screened porch. Feel free to tweak it to your taste, add or leave out ingredients. Enjoy!
Salad:
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 Tbs finely diced red onions
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed under cold running water
- 2 small carrots, shredded or small dice
- 1 small celery stalk, finely diced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbs honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground pepper
Rinse the quinoa under running water, then combine with the stock in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes until the stock is absorbed. Meanwhile, make the dressing and pour 1/2 in a large bowl. Add the red onions through the celery to the bowl with the dressing. When the quinoa is cooked, add to all of the other ingredients and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more. Just before serving, add the feta cheese and adjust the seasoning.
If I’d had it, I would have added some fresh parsley or cilantro. You can also try substituting edemame for the peas, add nuts for crunch, or vary the grain. This will be even better tomorrow!
