Cold Quinoa Salad with fresh mint, craisins & almonds

Howdy everyone!  How was your Memorial Day weekend?  Longer than normal, I hope.
It's a funny thing about long weekends.  If you're like me you have this idea that you'll be able to get a bunch of extra stuff done.  But in reality, more stuff is going on, so you end up getting less done.
Oh well.

Instead of talking about what we didn't get done, let's talk about what we did get done!

This little beauty of a salad is something I did manage to get done.

I can't seem to resist buying mint at the farmer's market....it smells too good.  But that's OK because it forces me to find ways to use it.  It's refreshing taste is perfect in this Cold Quinoa salad.  Add a little sweetness with craisins and rice vinegar combined with hearty and protein filled quinoa and sliced almonds and you have yourself a healthy-hearty-tasty snack.  Plus, it's totally easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Quinoa (+ water to cook quinoa in) - whichever brand you like will do.  I use this one:

1 Cup of fresh mint, chopped

1/4 Cup of craisins

1/4 Cup of sliced almonds

Rice vinegar, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

How to:

Cook quinoa in water based on the package instructions.

Let it cool.  To speed up the cooling process you can rinse the quinoa in cold water; you will probably lose some through the holes in your strainer, but if you're in a hurry this method works.

Place quinoa in your serving bowl and add chopped mint, craisins and sliced almonds; mix.

Add rice vinegar to taste.  I add a couple of shakes, stir, taste and add more if I think it needs it.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve & enjoy!

You can also find this at Tasty Kitchen!

**I've shared this recipe on the following sites, click the links for more tasty recipe ideas!

The Healthy Home Economist - Monday Mania

Make Ahead Meals for Busy Mom's - Melt in your Mouth Monday

All the Small Stuff - Tuesday's at the Table

Real Food Forager - Fat Tuesday

Growing Home Blog - Teach Me Tuesday

New Life on a Homestead

Kelly the Kitchen Kop

The Tasty Alternative

The Kings Court IV

The Gluten-Free Homemaker

This Chick Cooks

Lady Behind the Curtain

It's a Keeper

Frugal Follies

Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Pennywise Platter

Carol's Chatter - Food on Friday