Fresh, summery, perfect — quinoa salad with fresh corn, buttery avocado. You'll need marinated tomatoes and lots of fresh herbs …

Do I love quinoa? No.

Does this summery salad that's luscious and juicy, even contain quinoa, actually mean I love it? YES.

Also, if you hate quinoa – I think I can get you eating quinoa salad. I really do.

This gem of a salad is a win for anyone who:

• I can't appreciate a really good textured salad, because even the little bite sizey bits!
• My boy likes to be in the sun rather than cooking for hours (aka THIS RECIPE IS SO EASY)
• We accept all who does like or does not like quinoa.
• Celebrates a good meatless meal.
• Big, juicy, summery flavor has a tendency to go weak in the knees.

There is staggering amount of texture and flavor. Our base is quinoa and corn, we have marinated tomatoes as the juicy crown jewel, avocado to butter it all up a bit, shallot, chives, and cilantro to wake you all the way up, lime zest, and lime juice, all to round it out with a little something, and Cotija cheese so it's just the slightest bit crumbly and creamy (omitting it if you're vegan).

Let me just say this: I've really missed loving a quinoa salad as much as I've come to love this one.

Maybe just a salad in general and just maybe a salad.

Healthy, but not too healthy. Cranky, textural, cravey at all times. Colorful and happy. Exactly how I like to eat.

If you keep the avocados out until just before serving, it becomes a lunches made ahead thing that will keep the mood bright all the week long.