Start: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Okay, so after two chocolate cakes, I figured I should try for something on the healthier side.  Because I promise that I eat my veggies.  They're just not normally very interesting.  But I was recently introduced to this neat little healthy food restaurant that serves up an amazing quinoa salad that you can get topped with grilled chicken.  There's something about the cold salad and the warm chicken and the seasonings and the feta that makes your day so much better.

I had to scour the internet for hours to find this recipe.  It was only given away once to a TV crew for a 5-minute blurb on some morning show, so basically it was like finding a needle in a haystack.  You're welcome.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
From Start restaurant

4 cups white quinoa

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups broccoli flowerets, raw

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 cup plus 1 tablespoons Vinaigrette

2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

Add quinoa to 8 cups of boiling water.  Cover, turn down to medium-low, and cook 10-15 minutes until dry, then fluff and cool.  Toss quinoa together with parsley, cilantro, broccoli, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and olives.  Pour vinaigrette dressing over the quinoa mix and blend in.  Fold in the feta cheese.  The salad is better the second day after everything has a chance to marinate, especially the broccoli.

Vinaigrette

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1⅔ cups canola oil

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1½ teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

Whisk all ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Makes 30 fluid ounces