Cliff Colvin's World Famous Quinoa Salad
Cucumber-Carrot-Onion-Quinoa Salad. This salad can be doubled for a pot luck. It is usually better the second day after chilling in the fridge (but it never seems to make it to the second day at our house:) Note from Cafe Doc: This recipe is our 'go-to,' it, all, and everything pot luck dish. Cliff serves it at his summer pot luck for the San Francisco Opera. This year, he added tofu and fennel.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water 500 ml of water
- 1 cup quinoa Salt the boiling water and salt the quinoa after it has cooked and cooled.
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt Add 'a pinch of salt to the boiling water. So either do this or measure a scant 1/8 tsp or 1/16 tsp salt.
- 4 tbsp olive oil 60 ml
- ½ tsp fine sea salt added to cooked, cooled quinoa with other ingredients.
- 3 medium tomatoes Dice the tomatoes or halve grape tomatoes. You can add more tomatoes.
- 4 tbsp lemon juice 2-3 lemons should get you plenty of lemon juice.
- 1 medium cucumber Remove the seeds from a regular cucumber. You don't have to with a Japanese cucumber!
- 1 cup green onions 9 green onions, thinly sliced = approx. 1 cup
- ¾ cup carrots 2 medium sized carrots, grated = approx. 3/4 cup
- ½ cup fresh parsley 1 oz. or 25 g fresh parsley, chopped = 1/2 cup chopped
Instructions
- Bring water to boil in medium saucepan.
- Add quinoa and pinch of sea salt to boiling water.
- Bring the water and quinoa to a boil again, and place a lid on the pot.
- Set the heat to low and let the contents gently boil for 17 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the burner and let the quinoa cool down with the lid on the pot.
- Once the quinoa has cooled, stir it with a large fork.
- Get a bowl and combine: parsley, olive oil, carrots, sea salt, onions, lemon juice, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Add other ingredients such as tofu, celery, etc. Note from Cliff: "I sometimes add a small amount of dijon mustard to the dressing to help it emulsify."
- Combine the veggie mix with the quinoa and toss.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Notes from Cliff: I never seem to make this the same way twice. I have added:
diced celery
red and/or green bell pepper
fewer green onions (I suppose the definition of a 'bunch' is subjective)
red onion, diced small - not a whole one (1/4?)
shallot
fresh edamame beans
fried or pressed tofu, diced. I like it firm enough to hold its shape. I have tried it 'firm' (uncooked). It fell apart but wasn't bad. I prefer fried tofu. (Note from Cafe Doc - sauté firm tofu in avocado oil. Add 2 tbsp. tamari to a bowl, add sauteed tofu and turn pieces to coat tofu in tamari. Wipe pan, heat tamari coated tofu over low heat until dry).
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 327calCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 402mgPotassium: 729mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5702IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 3mg
Sources
Note from Cliff: I buy Costco's Kirkland quinoa. It is around $12.00 for 4 pounds. It is organic and you don't need to rinse it.
Credits
Cliff Colvin