Feta & Oregano Quinoa Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Quinoa
3/4 cup quinoa (white, red, black, or a combination)
1 1/2 cups water
Dressing
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or 1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
salt, to taste
pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Salad
1 cup zucchini, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup baby green pea, frozen
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
1 1 cup bocconcini, Pearl or 1 cup bocconcini, Mini, halved

Preparation

Rinse and strain the quinoa to remove the bitter coating. Most quinoa today are pre-rinsed, so check the package, but even so, I prefer to give it one more rinse. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 4 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl; pour the dressing over the vegetables and thoroughly mix. Add the quinoa, and mix until evenly combined.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.