Quinoa, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Chive-Infused Oil

I have been making the effort lately to clean up our eating.  Not that we eat bad, but we should probably be incorporating more whole grains into our diet.  David is against rice (really, rice?) and claims he doesn't like couscous (but eats pasta - can't figure that one out).  I've been seeing recipes for quinoa for a few years but never made the plunge.

Most of the recipes I've found online that appealed to me were salads.  Yeah, I'm not ready to form the stuff into a burger, for which I am sure my family is grateful.  I skimmed through the recipes I found and simply went with the one for which no trips to the grocery store were needed.

From what I've read online, if you didn't purchase pre-rinsed you needed to rinse it or else it could taste bitter from the coating left on it.  Since I purchased mine from a bulk bin I went ahead and rinsed it thoroughly and discovered in the process my mesh strainer wasn't as fine as I needed it to be.

This recipe was quick and easy to put together.  I made it after lunch so it would be nice and cold by suppertime.  I really liked the way the chive oil tasted and was happy to find another use for my overgrown chives plant.  I only made 1/2 the oil recipe and have enough to make this salad again.  I'm thinking it would be good for lunch with some grilled chicken or beef mixed in.

Quinoa, Corn and Tomato Salad with Chive-Infused Oil

Brightly colored flavored oil coats the quinoa grains and lends the salad fresh chive flavor. Refrigerate leftover oil to use as a dressing to drizzle over grilled fish or summer vegetables. Garnish with whole fresh chives, if desired.

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Chive-Infused Oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Combine quinoa, corn, tomatoes, and parsley in a medium bowl. Combine Chive-Infused Oil and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad; toss well to coat. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

Calories: 179

Calories from fat: 34%

Fat: 6.7g

Saturated fat: 0.7g

Monounsaturated fat: 4.1g

Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g

Protein: 5.2g

Carbohydrate: 26.1g

Fiber: 2.4g       

Chive-Infused Oil    

3/4 cup extravirgin olive oil
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a blender; pulse 6 times or until chives are very finely minced. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and discard solids. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 3/4 cup (serving size: 1 1/2 teaspoons)       

Calories: 63

Calories from fat: 100%

Fat: 7g

Saturated fat: 1g

Monounsaturated fat: 5.4g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g