Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 6 green asparagus spears
• 6 radishes
• 2 medium heirloom tomatoes
• 1 sweet onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped young chives (2 scallions)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 clove minced garlic

Optional:

• 1/2 red chili pepper
• 1 green cucumber
• handful of chopped basil
• crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare the quinoa according to the package instructions or as follows: rinse, drain, then add 1 and 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, add salt, and cook for about 13 minutes uncovered. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes covered (during this time the quinoa will absorb all the water; drain again if needed). Transfer to a plate and let cool.
2. Wash the asparagus, snap off the tough ends, and place in boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes, then immediately chill under cold running water. Cut diagonally into slices, keeping the tips whole if desired.
3. Wash the radishes and dice them. Blanch the tomatoes, peel, dice them, and place in a large salad bowl. Add finely chopped sweet onion, chives, chopped asparagus and radishes, and also add the chili pepper (diced, seeds removed) if using.
4. Wash and peel the cucumber, leaving strips of skin every half centimeter. Dice it and add to the vegetables in the salad bowl.
5. Mix the olive oil with lemon juice, chopped parsley, garlic, and basil, season with salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables, mix, and add the cooled quinoa. Mix everything together, sprinkle with cheese, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Can be served immediately or chilled in the refrigerator.