Quinoa and Crisp Veggie Salad and Lavender Herb Lemonade

Quinoa and Crisp Veggie Salad

Hot weather and salads go together. By cooking the quinoa in advance, this fulfilling salad can be ready in minutes. Best of all, most of the ingredients can be found in your own garden.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups of water

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, sliced

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

6 radishes, sliced

2 Tablespoons chopped mint

1 Tablespoons chopped parsley

Juice squeezed from 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Stir together vegetables with cooled quinoa. Room temperature is fine. Whisk together mint, parsley, lemon and oil and pour over salad mixture. Stir in and sprinkle with almonds and Parmesan. Serve with Lavender and Herb Lemonade.

Lavender Herb Lemonade

Fill a third of a quart pitcher with ice. Squeeze juice from 5 - 6 lemons and pour over ice. Add 2 cups of water. In a food or processor, process 2 tablespoons of lavender buds, leaves from 4 sprigs of lemon thyme, leaves from 1 sprig of mint. Add to lemon juice with 1/2 - 1 cup sugar and fill pitcher with water, stirring until blended. After a few minutes, pour and enjoy!