Ingredients
1 1/4 cups quinoa
1 1/8 teaspoons salt , plus more for dressing
4 medium beets , trimmed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper , for dressing
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large, seedless cucumber , chopped
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes , halved
1 cup green beans , blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Place in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water. Add 1/8 tsp. salt; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until quinoa is tender, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, place beets in a large saucepan; cover with cold water (by about an inch). Add 1 tsp. salt; bring to a simmer. Cook until beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 35-45 minutes. Drain; cover with cold water. Let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a small bowl, mix vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in oil. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, beets, cucumber, tomatoes, green beans and parsley. Toss in dressing to serve.
