Lemony Quinoa Salad

1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of diced or sliced celery
1/2 cup of frozen peas
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 carrot diced or cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 medium fresh tomato
salt and pepper to taste
optional, 1 jalapeno pepper diced
optional, 1/4 cup of sliced green onions

Dressing
2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of olive oil or salad oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

I like to cook the quinoa the night before by cooking more than what I need for dinner and using the rest for the salad the next day. That way it’s chilled and ready to go into this recipe. Just follow the cooking directions on the quinoa package, and chill it until you are ready to make the salad.
Frozen peas.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add the peas. Cook for just 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water to cool off the peas. Drain well before adding to the quinoa.

In a large mixing bowl stir the quinoa to break it up before adding all vegetables, except peas as they are fragile.

Dressing.
in a small mixing bowl add the lemon juice, vinegar, and herbs. Mix well with a whisk to moisten the dried herbs. Add the oil and mix well. Pour over quinoa and mix well. Add peas, salt and pepper to taste, and mix gently. Garnish with sliced tomatoes and jalapenos. Serves 4-6.