Pesto Caprese Quinoa Salad

Put the dried quinoa in a medium pot filled with plenty of water. Bring the water to a boil and boil the quinoa for 10 minutes. Drain the water off of the quinoa by pouring it through a strainer. Rinse the par-cooked quinoa under cold water.

Add about 1 inch of water back into the pot and bring it to a boil. Place the quinoa, still in the strainer, over the boiling water. Cover the strainer with a kitchen towel and a lid and let the quinoa steam for 10-15 minutes until light and super fluffy. Be sure to not let the kitchen towel hang over the pot—we don’t want to start any kitchen fires here people!

Once the quinoa has steamed, transfer it to a bowl and set aside.

Combine the shallot, basil leaves, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil and vinegar in a food processor and process for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

Drizzle the basil vinaigrette over the quinoa and toss to combine. Add the cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella to the quinoa and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve at a later time.