Rinse and Cook the Quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water for about a minute. Drain well. Add the rinsed quinoa and the vegetable stock (or water) to a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Rest the Quinoa: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. This step is crucial for getting that perfect fluffy texture. I learned this trick from an article on how to cook quinoa perfectly and it's never failed me.

Fluff and Cool: After resting, remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Spread it out on a large baking tray to cool down completely. This speeds up the process and prevents the quinoa from becoming clumpy.

Prepare the Vegetables: While the quinoa is cooling, you can prepare all your vegetables. Finely dice the red pepper and cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion and fresh herbs. Place them all in a large mixing bowl.

Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or a jam jar with a lid, combine all the dressing ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is well combined and emulsified.

Assemble the Salad: Once the quinoa is completely cool, add it to the large bowl with the chopped vegetables and herbs.

Dress and Combine: Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together until well coated. Add the crumbled feta cheese and give it one last gentle stir. I find that holding back a little dressing allows me to adjust it just before serving, as the quinoa absorbs a lot of moisture.

Taste and Serve: Have a taste and add more dressing, salt, or pepper if you think it needs it. You can serve the salad immediately, or let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together even more.