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  First cook the quinoa and allow to cool. This can easily be done the day before.

  You'll notice that my quinoa cooking instructions involve toasting the quinoa first. This gives the quinoa a really delicious nutty flavor. If you don't have time or can't be bothered feel free to skip that step.

To cook quinoa on the stovetop

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  Rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve then add it to a dry pan and gently toast it over medium heat for a couple of minutes, keeping it moving, until it starts to smell a little nutty. Once it does turn off the heat.Add the water, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes until the water has mostly absorbed.Turn off the heat, cover tightly and leave to steam for at least 5 minutes but longer is fine. Allow to cool completely before fluffing with a fork and continuing with the recipe. If you are in a hurry to cool it, you can spread it out in a thin layer on a cool plate or baking sheet.

To cook quinoa in an Instant Pot

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  Rinse the quinoa in a sieve then tip the wet quinoa into the insert of your Instant Pot. Saute over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently until it starts to smell nutty. Once it does turn the Instant Pot off. Add just 1 cup of water to the quinoa, stir, then put the lid on and seal the vent. Set to 2 minutes high pressure and leave the pressure to naturally release. Remove the lid, allow to cool and fluff with a fork before using.

Make the dressing

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  In a jar, shake together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Or whisk them together in a bowl.

Make the salad

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  To a large salad bowl add the cooled quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley and mint. Pour over the dressing and toss together really well.
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  Taste and add more salt and pepper as necessary.
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  Allow the salad to sit and absorb the dressing for at least 30 minutes before eating, but it will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.