Citrus Quinoa Salad

Here's a refreshing dish that we enjoyed at our staff christmas party. It's a great side dish, as quinoa is light in taste and full of calcium and protein.

1c quinoa
1c diced cucumber, unpeeled
1/2c dried cranberries
1/2c drained canned mandarin oranges
1/4c sunflower seeds or toasted almonds
1/2 red onion
2tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley

Dressing:
1tsp grated lemon or lime rind
3tbsp lemon or lime juice
1tbsp raspberry vinegarette dressing
1/4tsp coriander or cumin

Rinse quinoa under cold running water, then drain. In a saucepan, bring 2cups water to boil; stir in quinoa. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is transparent. Drain and let cool. In a salad bowl, combine quinoa, cucumber, cranberries, orange sections, almonds, onions and coriander.
Dressing: in a small bowl, mix all dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and mix. Serve immediately. Can be refridgerated for up to 3 days.