Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing

This Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing is a tasty and light dish that can be used as a meal or a side. It's a great mix of textures and tastes because it's full of fresh vegetables and herbs. The vegetable and quinoa salad taste very fresh thanks to the lemon-basil dressing. You can add crumbled feta cheese on top if you want to make it even creamier. For lunch or dinner, this salad is a healthy and filling choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled optional

Instructions:

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil

Add the rinsed quinoa to the boiling water, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked and water is absorbed

Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and basil leaves

In a separate small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to make the dressing

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well coated

If desired, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese on top

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving

Serve as a refreshing and healthy salad option!