Zesty Lemon Quinoa Salad

I've been hoarding quinoa since Jeff had a friend hand carry 3 bags from the States for my birthday in November.  I've only seen it  in Jakarta one time and a single bag was $18!  Once our current stock is gone we're stuck with brown rice.  These past few weeks I've had some extra time to experiment in the kitchen while I wait for my work permit to process.  In true Jakarta style, a computer system shutdown at the immigration office extended my housewife status an extra week.  Since I don't have a passport, we also had to postpone our much anticipated trip to Singapore.  Luckily things seem to be progressing so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for next weekend.  :-)

I've also been trying to learn how to take better food photos which is really challenging.  Getting enough light in our apartment is the hard part, but luckily my new camera is up to the job.  This quinoa salad is perfect for a light dinner and the leftovers are fabulous for lunch the next day.  

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breast halves
• 4 cups chicken broth, reserve 1 1/2 cups for quinoa
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained well
• 1 T oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup green beans, sliced in 1/2" pieces
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels

Lemon Dressing Ingredients:

• Zest from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 T honey
• 1 garlic clove, microplaned
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper

1. Bring broth and lemongrass to boil in a large pot.  Add chicken breasts, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn off burner, leave lid on pot, and let chicken continue to cook for 10 minutes.  Cool chicken and shred.
2. Bring 1 1/2 cups broth to boil in saucepan.  Add quinoa, cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let rest (covered) 5 more minutes.  Fluff with a fork gently.
3. Combine all lemon dressing ingredients and stir with whisk.
4. Heat 1 T oil in large saute pan and add onion, garlic, and green peppers; saute for a few minutes.  Add corn , green beans, and mushrooms; saute until green beans are cooked.
5. Transfer veggie mixture to a large bowl, add quinoa, and mix gently.  Stir in feta and dressing and serve warm or chill and serve cold.

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