A Party In my pantry

One of my most favorite summer activities is family boat dinners. We all prep dinner in advance and pack a picnic basket… and of course a wine basket as well! This quinoa salad is served room temperature, which is ideal for a warm evening out on the boat.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 1 bunch Asparagus, sliced
• 1 Quart Yellow Tomatoes, halved
• 2 Lemons,  Zest and Juice
• Basil, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or Tuscan Herbed Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the ends of the asparagus off, and then slice into 1-inch long pieces. Toss lightly in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 6 minutes – just enough to get them slightly cooked but still have a crisp bite to them.

Cook the quinoa as directed by the box. Chop the basil and zest one of the lemons. In a large bowl, mix in the quinoa, baked asparagus, sliced tomatoes, chopped basil, lemon zest, lemon juice of 2 lemons, olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve room temperature or cold.