Back-To-School Quinoa Salad!

When I was a kid, opening up my lunchbox to see what kind of tasty things my mom had prepared and packed was one of my favourite parts of the school day. I loved the fresh and tasty creations she cooked up for me, and was always impressed with her creativity and ability to make new and interesting things every day. Now, living away from home, I'm responsible for my own lunches, but as classes are starting again, at first it seemed like a daunting task to emulate her wonderful lunchboxes. However, with a little thought I've come up with a fast, tasty and healthy portable lunch that's perfect for parents packing lunches or students grabbing something for between classes. The best part is that you can find all these ingredients right here at the farmer's market, which makes for a fresher taste and a cleaner conscience.

What I used:
3 cups dried quinoa (The Grainery)
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup diced cucumber
1 large sprig of parsley

How to make it:
Soak quinoa for an hour. This is a good time to dice vegetables, make some phone calls, check the mail or finish that paper you've been putting off. Drain and rinse the quinoa, then place it in a pot with a 3:1 quinoa to water ratio. Heat the pot up on the stove to medium or medium-low. Stir frequently. When all the water has been evaporated or absorbed into the quinoa, remove it from the heat and place in a glass container to cool. When it has cooled, season the quinoa with equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste, if you have some at home. If not, make this quinoa your own! Its flavour is very versatile so get creative. Let it cool in the fridge overnight. In the morning, right before sending your kids to school, or heading to class yourself, stir in your diced vegetables, stick the mix in a portable container, and off it goes. It keeps well, tastes great and is easy and fast to prepare. Take a little stress out of your life and try this recipe! Om nom nom.