Creating Quinoa Lentil Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is straightforward. Follow these steps to ensure success:

1. Cook the Quinoa: In a saucepan, add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Stir in the rinsed quinoa, reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let it cool.

2. Prepare the Lentils: If you don’t have cooked lentils, rinse 1/2 cup of dry lentils and cook them according to package instructions. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes in boiling water until tender. Drain and let them cool.

3. Chop the Vegetables: While the quinoa and lentils are cooling, dice the cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. Halve the cherry tomatoes and chop the parsley.

4. Make the Lemon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.

5. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, lentils, diced cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.

6. Add Vinaigrette: Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the mixed ingredients. Toss gently to ensure everything is well-coated.

7. Serve or Chill: You can serve the salad immediately or refrigerate it for 30 minutes to let flavors meld.