Quinoa, Green Bean and Tomato Salad

By PKMom

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, washed well and drained
•  1 1/2 cups water
•  3/4 lb fresh green beans, in 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 lb very ripe Roma tomatoes (3 to 4)*
• 1 bell pepper, any colour, in 1-inch dice**
• 4 green onions, in 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp toasted pecans

Preparation

Step 1

1 Combine quinoa and 1 1⁄2 cups water in medium pot; bring to a simmer on medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
2 Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat, add green beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until barely tender. Remove from heat and drain green beans in a colander. Place colander in ice water to preserve the beans’ bright green colour and stop them from cooking further.
3 Using a sharp knife, cut tomatoes in half and gently squeeze out and discard seeds. (It's unnecessary to remove skins.) Cut tomatoes in 1⁄2-inch dice.
4 In a large bowl, combine quinoa, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, green onions and basil. Season with salt, olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle with pecans. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Variation: *oven-dried tomatoes; **grilled pepper.