Red Quinoa Tomato Avocado Summer Salad

• .75 cups red quinoa
• 10 ounces water
• 1 large heirloom tomato or 2 medium
• 1 avocado (FIRM)
• 1 handful flat parsley (chopped rough or fine)
• .5 jalapeno diced small, seeds removed (optional)
• 1.5 ounces goat cheese (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons good balsamic (more if desired)

1. Place quinoa in a microwave bowl, add water, and cover with plastic wrap (puncture 1 hole in the plastic wrap) and microwave for 8 minutes. Stir. Microwave for 2 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes. If quinoa is still a little watery, microwave for 2 more minutes. Let cool to room temp or put in refridgerator.
2. Large dice tomatoes. Remove any really seedy/watery parts. Set aside.
3. Dice your FIRM avocado. Set aside.
4. Chop your parsley. Set Aside.
5. Optional: fine dice 1/2 jalapeno. rnCrumble up goat cheese. rnSet aside.
6. Add salt to quinoa and mixit up. Mix quinoa with tomatoes, avocado, parsley, optional jalapeno (if you use a soft avocado, it will turn to mush). Add olive oil and balsamic. Mix thoroughly. Taste for more salt or balsamic (but NOT to make the salad taste like balsamic. you want to taste the ingrediants). Crumble goat cheese on top. Chill for about 30 minutes and serve.

red quinoa, water, tomato, avocado, handful flat parsley, goat cheese, salt, extra virgin olive oil, good balsamic

Taken from food52.com/recipes/23242-red-quinoa-tomato-avocado-summer-salad (may not work)