Cook the Quinoa:
* In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water or vegetable broth.
* Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
* Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender (the germ will spiral out).
* Remove from heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
* Fluff the quinoa with a fork and spread it on a baking sheet to cool down quickly. This prevents it from becoming mushy.

2. Prepare the Vegetables and Other Salad Components:
* While the quinoa is cooking and cooling, chop all your vegetables: dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell peppers, and finely dice the red onion. If you find raw red onion too strong, you can soak it in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
* Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
* Halve the Kalamata olives.
* Chop the fresh parsley and mint.

3. Make the Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette:
* In a small bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, and Dijon mustard (if using).
* Whisk vigorously or shake the jar until the dressing is well emulsified.
* Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. You can make this ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

4. Assemble the Quinoa Salad:
* In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced cucumber, halved tomatoes, diced bell peppers, diced red onion (if using), rinsed chickpeas, and halved Kalamata olives.
* Add about half of the prepared Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette to the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Taste and add more dressing if desired. It’s often better to slightly under-dress if packing for multiple days, with the option to add more later.
* Gently fold in the chopped fresh parsley and mint.
* Finally, gently mix in the crumbled feta cheese. You want to avoid mashing it too much.

5. Pack Your Lunch Boxes:
* Divide the prepared Quinoa Salad evenly among four lunch containers. Aim for containers with compartments if possible, or use smaller separate containers for some components.
* In a separate small container or a compartment of your lunch box, add 2 tablespoons of hummus.
* Pack the pita bread or pita chips separately to prevent them from getting soggy. You can place them in a small reusable bag or another compartment.
* If you plan to add extra dressing just before eating, pack a small portion of the remaining vinaigrette in a leak-proof mini container.
* Add a lemon wedge to each box for squeezing over the salad or hummus just before eating.