Ingredients:
- ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (12 oz) jar of fire roasted red peppers, cut into pieces
- ½ cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- ½ cup black olives, pitted and halved (I used kalamata.)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Bring the 1½ cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the quinoa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 12 minutes, until the water is absorbed and you can see the little quinoa “tails”. Remove the pan from the heat. Fluff with a fork and let it cool off.
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard together in a small bowl. Press the clove of garlic into the dressing. Whisk again. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Put the quinoa, beans, peppers, parsley, chives, and black olives in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir so it is well distributed. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
