In a large bowl, mix the salad ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
chopped green onions (or minced red onion or shallot)
Whisk the following dressing and toss into the salad:
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of half a lemon (or of a whole baby lemon) a little drizzle of honey salt and pepper
Chill for twenty minutes, toss again, and see if it needs more salt before serving on a bed of greens.
Quinoa salad cries for variations and substitutions: Use other fresh herbs, such as cilantro or basil; use lime or orange instead of lemon; add chopped celery, including a minced leaf or two, red pepper, cucumber, avocado or halved grapes; include garbanzo beans or corn kernels; put in a bit of diced leftover meat; add a dash of cumin and cayenne if you like a little spiciness.
Recipe adapted from Judith Finlayson, from The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook.
