Summer Grain Salad

New York Times food writer Mark Bittman wrote about this versatile formula for grain salad in June. The story was accompanied by a wonderful graphic showing the possibilities for grain--eight different choices including rices, farro and couscous--and fruit, vegetable, nut, herb and spice mix ins.

I thought the combination in the photo was so tasty-looking that I made my salad with the same ingredients.

Summer Grain Salad
From The Perfect Grain Salad by Mark Bittman, New York Times

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked wild rice
8 asparagus spears, shaved
1/3 cup red grapes, halved
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice plus zest from 1/2 a lemon
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine grains, asparagus, grapes, onion, mint and lemon zest in a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to combine.