quinoa with sundried tomatoes, chickpeas and lemon

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 ml) quinoa, uncooked
2 cups (500 ml) water
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, approximately
1/2 cup (125 ml) pinenuts, toasted
4 to 6 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 125 ml) fresh parmesan or romano cheese, finely grated (add more at the table)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Put quinoa into saucepan or rice cooker and add water to cover. Soak for 5 to 10 minutes. You may omit this step if short on time.

Drain and rinse the quinoa using a strainer/colander, stirring with your fingers as you run the water over the quinoa.

Add the water and quinoa to the rice cooker or saucepan on the stovetop to cook. If using the saucepan, cover, bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes).

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the other ingredients - toast the pinenuts, chop the sundried tomatoes, cucumber and Italian flat-leaf parsley, and rinse and drain the chickpeas.

When the quinoa is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat on the stovetop, or transfer the quinoa from the rice cooker to a bowl, fluff with a fork (if it's a bit sticky you may need to break it up a bit) and let cool.

When cooled, add the pinenuts, sundried tomatoes, cucumber, Italian flat-leaf parsley and chickpeas.

Squeeze half a lemon into a measuring cup or bowl and remove any seeds. Add to the mixture and stir thoroughly.

Add olive oil, cheese (if using) and one or two grinds of pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly. Taste and add more lemon, oil or seasoning to suit your taste.
from teh tastetraveller