Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bites (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups Water
• 0.5 cup Cucumber
• 0.5 cup Red Bell Pepper
• 0.25 cup Kalamata Olives
• 0.25 cup Red Onion
• 0.25 cup Fresh Parsley
• 4 ounces Feta Cheese
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

1. 1Measure 1 cup of quinoa into a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse the 1 cup of quinoa under cold running water for about 1 minute, rubbing the grains gently with your fingers to remove any bitterness. Drain well.
2. 2Combine the rinsed 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and spread it on a baking sheet to cool completely.
3. 3While the quinoa cools, dice the 0.5 cup of cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces. Dice the 0.5 cup of red bell pepper into 1/4-inch pieces. Slice the 0.25 cup of Kalamata olives into 1/4-inch pieces. Finely chop the 0.25 cup of red onion.
4. 4Chop the 0.25 cup of fresh parsley.
5. 5In a large bowl, combine the cooled 1 cup of quinoa, the diced 0.5 cup of cucumber, the diced 0.5 cup of red bell pepper, the sliced 0.25 cup of Kalamata olives, the chopped 0.25 cup of red onion, the chopped 0.25 cup of fresh parsley, and the 4 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled.
6. 6In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 0.25 teaspoon of salt, and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper until well combined.
7. 7Pour the dressing over the quinoa and vegetable mixture in the large bowl. Toss gently with a spoon until all ingredients are evenly coated.
8. 8Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly. This chilling step helps the salad hold its shape when formed into bites.
9. 9Once chilled, scoop the salad mixture into small, bite-sized portions using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop. You can gently press them together to help them hold their shape. Serve the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bites chilled.

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