Hi friends,

This salad was inspired by a recipe from my friend Karen Kluewer:

It makes a large batch, enough for a pot-luck for 8-12.  For dinner, add 1/2 cup cubed cooked free-range chicken to top of each serving, and serve warm.

2 cups cooked, cooled organic quinoa  ( cook in organic chicken broth after rinsing the quinoa well to eliminate bitterness)

1 large organic red pepper, diced

1 med - large red onion (about a cup or more) diced

1 12oz pkg french cut green beans (Tr Joe's) cooked til barely tender, chopped

3 cups diced organic tomatoes or organic cherry tomatoes

1 large organic cucumber, scrubbed, diced

12 - 15 kalmata greek olives, sliced

3 - 4 oz crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves if you have some growing outside...

For dressing, whisk together:

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tbsp organic virgin olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic (more or less or not at all!)

1 tsp crumbled basil

1 tsp crumbled oregano

1 tsp celtic sea salt

fresh ground pepper if desired