Simply Quinoa

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Juice from 1 fresh lemon
• 1 tbs. za’atar (or a combination of dried basil, oregano and thyme)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup red quinoa, cooked (you could use white quinoa!)
• 2 cups different colored small cherry sized tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, cleaned and diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, cleaned and diced
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, cut in slivers
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:
Place the olive oil, lemon juice, and spices in a jar, shake and set aside.

In a large bowl add the cooked quinoa, chopped vegetables, seeds and dried fruit. Mix well. Add some of the salad dressing, toss, and add more if needed.

Serve at room temperature and store leftovers in the fridge.

Don't have cooked quinoa on hand? Here's my easy fool proof directions to make quinoa:
Bring 1 1/4 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 12 minutes. Then turn the heat off and leave the covered pot on the stove for at least 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool. This makes 3 cups, you can freeze leftovers!