I shared this delicious ‘Tabbouleh with a Twist’ recipe with Emily Burris at KOIN AM Extra. Tabbouleh, a popular Mediterranean salad, is made mostly of finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur, and seasoned with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon, salt and pepper. Some variations add garlic or lettuce, or use couscous instead of bulgur. I grew up eating Tabbouleh at many of our family dinners. It pairs perfectly with falafel and hummus as well as any protein. Typically prepared with bulgur, or cracked wheat, you can take this recipe to another level using quinoa. Quinoa is technically a seed, and is related to spinach, chard and beets. It also happens to be a complete protein, which means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Additionally, each cup contains 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Swapping quinoa for bulgur makes this taboulleh salad gluten-free as well.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked (you can use red or white)
- 4 cups fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, diced
- 5 Persian cucumbers, diced
- 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 romaine bunches to serve
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all ingredients except lettuce into a mixing bowl and toss together lightly. Chill for 1 hour or more to allow flavors to blend. Enjoy in a bowl or serve on lettuce leaves. Serves 6.