Quinoa Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar

Quinoa is a super versatile food, it's also tasty, healthy, and an ancient grain, meaning it hasn't been tampered with the way some other grains have been.  Two years ago I planted some quinoa seeds in my backyard, but as soon as they sprouted, the bunnies cleared all the sprouts.  I'd like to plant quinoa again, because it has amazing flowers and because I like using it in various ways.

This is a very simple quinoa salad.  It can be adjusted by using various ingredients.  What makes it yummy is the basic salad dressing, which is oil and apple cider vinegar.

To start, cook some quinoa, I usually use one cup, and it makes enough for three meals.  While the quinoa is cooking, heat some butter in a pan.  Wash and cut up a zucchini, and add to the butter.  Wash the kale, tear the leaves into pieces, discard the hard stems, and add to the pan.  Cut up a head of broccoli and add it to the mix.

Cut up a tomato.  I like plum tomatoes for stuff like this, because they aren't as juicy/seedy.

Once the quinoa is done, put it in a bowl, add the veg, season with salt and pepper, mix it all up.  Pour a bit of apple cider vinegar and olive oil or grape seed oil over top, mix it in.  Cut up some feta, and sprinkle over top.  One of the grocery stores I go to sells Macedonian feta, which I prefer to the various Greek fetas.  It's creamier and not as salty, almost like something between goat's cheese and Greek feta.

I've made this salad with peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms, olives, sunflower seeds.  You can use whatever you have on hand.  A lot of the recipes I come up with are based on ingredients I have or need to use up.  This salad is yummy warm or cold, and perfect for lunches and picnics.