Quinoa Mixed Greens Salad

This is a continuation of the Sunday cooking extravaganza I did for Zack. The salad portion of the meal was this amazingly flavorful and pretty simple to throw together. Which I needed after preparing the main course, but I'll get to that in another post.

Now, quinoa has been a part of American cuisine for a while, but we had yet to work it into our rotation. Well, as it turns out, it's so simple to prepare, is extremely good for you, and tastes good. Why weren't we using this before?!?

Here's what you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups low sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you're vegetarian)
1/2 package of mixed greens
1 red pepper
1 scallion
1 handful of Italian parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here's what you do:
Combine the quinoa and chicken (vegetable) stock in a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil.

Once that comes to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. (Sounds kind of like making rice, doesn't it).

Let cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the grain absorbs the liquid. You can lift the lid and check it if you don't have a glass lid like this.

While the quinoa is cooking, get started on the other pieces of your salad.

Chop your red pepper.

Then slice your scallion.

And, finally coarsely chop the parsley. You can skip this step if you want. I was just in a chopping mood.

Combine all of that into your bowl, cover and put in the fridge until you're ready to eat.

Transfer the quinoa into a bowl and let cool in the fridge until you're ready to build your salad and take it to the table.

Right before you're ready to serve, add the feta cheese and a couple of scoops of the quinoa to the salad and toss.

Top with our seriously tasty homemade balsamic vinaigrette. 

Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Continuing on with the documentation of my day of cooking while Zack was at work, I bring you the salad dressing next. We use a lot balsamic in our house. It's probably one of Zack's favorite things, so it was only natural that I would make a homemade balsamic vinaigrette for the salad.

It's very easy. If you stock the essentials, you will never have to buy sodium packed salad dressing again.

Here's what you need: 
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Here's what you do:
Combine brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Add balsamic vinegar to the mix and whisk to combine.

Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to emulsify.

Transfer to a carafe or squeeze bottle and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Stick around for the amazingly tasty and simple Quinoa Mixed Greens salad I topped with this!

Enjoy!