Quinoa Caprese Salad

I can't pronounce it, but quinoa can be found in the pasta aisle or in the bulk natural food area of your supermarket.  It's high in protein and has a great pasta/rice taste to it and makes a great base for a lot of healthy recipes.  This was my first attempt to use it.

INGREDIENTS


-1/2 cup quinoa
-8 oz fresh mozerella
-1 carton grape tomatoes, halved
-fresh basil
-2T olive oil
-salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized pan, bring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup quinoa to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and simmer on LOW until all of the water is absorbed. This should take anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes. Keep it low and slow to not turn quinoa gooey.

2. Cool the cooked quinoa in the refrigerator for at least an hour before preparing the salad.

3. To prepare the salad, slice grape tomatoes in half and cut the block of fresh mozzarella into bite size pieces. Mix together. Then, add the chopped basil and cooked quinoa and give the salad a toss. Next, drizzle on the olive oil and season with a little salt/pepper. Give your salad a final toss and serve  cool or at room temperature.  

VERDICT

I whipped this up to take on our picnic after the 4th of July parade this year (I realize I'm only posting it a month later... where is my summer going??)

I have to say... I loved it.  I was the only one, but I still loved it.  My husband would barely touch it, my mother grudgingly ate it (but mostly knocked the quinoa off the tomatoes and mozzarella that she was really after) and none one else at the picnic even tried it.

More for me to love.

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