Quinoa Salad with Dried Cherries and Pistachios- Courtesy of Healthy in a Hurry (originally posted March 16, 2014)

I love quinoa for its health benefits, for how easy and forgiving it is to cook, and for its nutty flavor. My favorite quinoa recipe is still the Quinoa and Black Bean Salad (post here: http://talesofareluctantcook.tumblr.com/post/77181432059/quinoa-and-black-bean-salad-courtesy-of-sugar-betty), but this one is nice and refreshing, too.

It comes courtesy of a cookbook given to me by my mom, Healthy in a Hurry. It makes a great lunch, side, or even a light dinner. It can also be used as a good starting point, swapping in other fresh and delicious ingredients.

Quinoa Salad with Dried Cherries and Pistachios- Courtesy of Healthy in a Hurry

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 C Quinoa
Radicchio, 1/2 head, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 T EVOO
1/4 C Dried Tart Cherries (I like to add a little extra)
1/4 C Chopped Pistachios (I like to add a little extra of this, too)
3 T Chopped, Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley
1/4 t Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste

Directions:
Rinse quinoa if not pre-rinsed. In a saucepan, bring 2 C of water to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed and grains are tender (about 15 minutes). Remove quinoa from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl and fluff to separate grains. (***Quinoa can also be cooked in a rice cooker- this is how I cook mine, as it saves me some work).
Add radicchio, vinegar, evoo, cherries, pistachios, and parsley to bowl with warm quinoa and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm or at room temp.