Gather and prep. Measure the cottage cheese into a bowl and bring it to near-room temperature (10 minutes on the counter) so it becomes silkier and blends easily with the herbs. Halve the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the chives and dill, and zest the lemon. Having everything prepped keeps the finish fast and prevents overcooking the quinoa while you chop.

Dry-toast the cooked quinoa: heat a wide nonstick or stainless skillet over medium heat until hot (about 1–2 minutes). Add the 160 g cooked, cooled quinoa and spread into an even layer. Toast, stirring or tossing every 30 seconds, for 3–5 minutes until some grains are lightly crisp and release a warm, nutty aroma. Toasting removes surface moisture, concentrates the grain's flavor and adds a subtle crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the soft cottage cheese.

Season the tomatoes: place the halved cherry tomatoes in a bowl, sprinkle a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt, a few grinds of black pepper and 1/2 tsp of the olive oil. Gently toss and let sit 5–10 minutes while you finish the rest — this softens the tomatoes slightly and draws forward their sweetness (a technique called maceration).

Build the herbed cottage cheese: in a mixing bowl combine the cottage cheese, chopped chives and dill, lemon zest (1 tsp), the remaining 3.5 tsp olive oil (reserve a little for finishing if you like), and the remaining salt to taste. Stir until evenly combined. If you want a silkier texture, whisk for 20–30 seconds to break up curds and emulsify the mixture; if you prefer a chunkier texture, stir gently with a spatula. The lemon zest brightens and the herbs add fresh, oniony and anise notes that lift the dairy richness.

Assemble the bowls: divide the toasted quinoa evenly among four shallow bowls (about 40 g quinoa per serving). Spoon a generous portion (150 g) of the herbed cottage cheese onto each bed of quinoa, leaving some quinoa visible to showcase texture. Arrange the macerated cherry tomatoes on top and around the cottage cheese. Finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil, a few extra grinds of black pepper and a sprinkling of reserved chives or dill for color.

Taste and adjust: take a small bite and adjust salt, pepper or lemon zest as needed. The ideal balance is creamy + bright + slightly crunchy: the quinoa should be dry-toasted, the tomatoes juicy, and the cottage cheese velvety with fresh herbal lift.

Optional finishing touches (restaurant styling): add a few microgreens, a pinch of flaky sea salt for texture, or a tiny drizzle of really good extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately so the toasted quinoa keeps some bite; if making ahead, keep components separate and assemble just before serving to preserve textures.