Blueberry Mango Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

This is salad is my new best friend. I'm always looking for different types of salads to serve as sides or just to have as a quick lunch. I make a lot of this one and keep it in the frig to eat on the go. Adding cooked and cubed chicken bumps this up to a delicious salad super. If you've never tried quinoa, I recommend it. It cooks up exactly like rice and can be used like bulgar. Quinoa also has protein that most other grains do not have. It will give you more bang for your buck whether you plan to serve it vegetarian or not.



For the quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
For the fruits and veggies
2 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup cubed ripe mangoes
½ of an English cucumber, cubed
1/2 cup dried cranberries

For the lemon basil dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2 ripe lemons
zest of 1 lemon
10 Basil leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper

Place the quinoa and water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or till the quinoa is cooked. Remove the lid, and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Return the lid to the pan and let the quinoa steam for 15 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add the blueberries, cranberries, cucumber, basil, and mangoes. Toss to combine. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and serve