Serves 6-8

This is a beautiful dish that my friend, Chef Elizabeth, taught to the Cultiva kids one year. It's from Lorna Sass's "Recipes From an Ecological Kitchen"

The magenta color from the beets is gorgeous. It isn't necessary to peel the beets if you are using fresh young ones and they've been scrubbed well. This is best served warm or at room temperature [I loved it cold too though, and would probably bring it cold to a party].

2-1/4 cups water or vegi stock [we used water]
1-1/2 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (about 1/2 lb) grated raw beets
1/2 cup tightly packed minced parsley
1/3 cup scallion greens, finely chopped
2-3 Tbs fruity olive oil
1/3 - 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
salt and pepper

Rinse the quinoa well under cold running water. When the water runs clear, it's rinsed.

Bring water or stock to a boil. Add quinoa and salt. Return to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off hte heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.

While fluffing up the just-cooked quinoa, stir in the beets until all of the grains turn scarlet.

Stir in the parsley, scallion greens, olive oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice and salt. Season to taste.

Serve warm of refrigerate until shortly before needed and bring to room temperature. Add more lemon juice to perk up flavors if desired.