By Nicole Cohen of Sketch42

Quinoa may seem like a grain, but it is really more closely related to vegetables like beets or spinach!  It’s delicious and nutritious alternative to a pasta salad, and it’s perfect for passover because its hearty like a grain. It tastes great cold and tossed with tons of veggies!

To make the Quinoa:

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Directions:

Soak the quinoa first for 15 min – 1/2 hour in it’s cooking pot. Soaking loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which can give a bitter taste if not removed.
If you don’t have time for long soaking, use hot water and soak for five minutes, then give an extra rinse or two
To Rinse: Stir the quinoa with your hand, and carefully pour off the rinsing water, using a seive at the last.
Put the quinoa back in the pot, add more water, and rinse again once or twice, until the rinse water is pretty clear
Drain quinoa well in the seive.
Place quinoa in the pot, add the water & salt.
Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on.
Fluff gently with a fork and serve. Quinoa is delicious on it’s own or in the recipe below:

Then add:

1 can of whole corn kernals

1 can of baby corn, chopped

1 can of black beans (please ask your rabbi as to the kashrut of beans on Passover)

1 cup of grape tomatoes, halved

2 scallions, chopped

1 can black olives, halved

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Toss all of the ingredients with the Quinoa and add the following dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp cumin

Salt to taste