Quinoa Summer Salad

This is an adapted recipe from Sandra Lee. She is the chick from Semi-Homemade. I was surprised to like one of her recipes because during her show they always seem kinda whacked. One thing about her show that cracks me up is how booze crazy she is. Think about it. "Now that we are done with the child birthday party prep, we can start on the treats for the grow-ups! *wink*" (as she pulls out a half-gal of liquor). 

I personally wouldn’t want to send my (hypothetical) kid to the "children’s parties" she is throwing. It would go like this: "Guess what mom!? The lady had so many grown-up treats that she knocked over the tablescape and passed out! Then we played in the bouncy castle unsupervised! It was awesome!"

She is on the same level as Giada for me. Sorry Everyday Italian, but I didn’t order a side of cleavage with my meal. Oh, and it’s pronounced pro-shoot-o. You are in America now.

Okay, enough rambling. On to the recipe!

Recipe:
1 cup of quinoa
- cook in 2 cups of water (or chicken stock, but water is less calories obv.)

Let cool completely before tossing it with the other ingredients.

Prep all of the veggies and toss them in a bowl together. (See above. Can you handle it?)

1 english cucumber (chopped)
¼ cup roasted peppers (chopped)
¼ cup red onion (finely chopped)
½ cup grape tomatoes (halved)
½ cup crumbled feta
1 tablespoon fines herbs
Balsamic dressing (to taste)

Add cooled quinoa to the veggie mixture. Toss in, feta and herbs. Add a little bit of dressing last and you are done!

You can take shortcuts wherever you want. I roasted my own peppers (because I had some on hand), and my mom makes her own dressing. But you can buy things already prepared if you want! Once it is all mixed together it will all turn out pretty much the same.