Quinoa Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• 1.25 cups water
  
• 1 cup quinoa (red or white – experiment with colours)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon good quality sea salt (or 1 tbsp fresh vegetable stock paste – see recipe) 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
  
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
  
• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved, or 3 tomatoes chopped
  
• 1 cucumber, diced
  
• 1 small red onion, diced
  
• 10 mint leaves, chopped
  
• 1 bunch continental / flat leaf parsley, chopped
  
• ½ cup of walnuts (chopped) – optional

To make:
Rinse quinoa well (I also soak it for about 20 minutes, time permitting). Drain water from quinoa and put quinoa in saucepan with 1.25 cups of water and salt/stock.  Bring to boil then reduce to simmer, put lid on saucepan and simmer for 15 mins until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed.
Into a small bowl squeeze the lemon, crush the garlic, add the olive oil and some pepper and whisk.
Once quinoa is cooked and water has evaporated add the dressing and mix through well.  Put into fridge for about 30 minutes or so to cool (this may be done several hours/the day before). 
Meantime, into a large bowl chop cucumber, onion, mint leaves, parsley (I use stalks as well as leaves), and walnuts.
Once quinoa is cooled, add to the large bowl, mix through and serve.
Notes:  When in season, I replace the tomatoes with pomegranate seeds….delicious.