Quinoa Tabouli

Tabouli or Tabbouleh is a refreshing salad from the middle-east/ Mediterranean that has become very popular all over the world.

The main ingredients in a tabouli salad is the finely chopped parsley, lemon juice and of course bulgur. Though bulgur is perfectly good and delicious, I decided to play with quinoa instead of bulgur and it tastes just as good.

Notes:

• Make sure you chop the parsley very fine. I prefer curly leaf here, flat leaf works just as well.
• To store leftover salad drain the juice before refrigerating to prevent a  soggy texture and bitterness. Will stay good for a couple of days.

Quinoa Tabouli

• 1 cup cooked quinoa cooled and air-dried for 20 minutes
• 1/2 red onion finely diced
• About 3 cups loosely packed curly leaf parsley, stems removed, very finely chopped
• ½ cup mint leaves, stems removed, very finely chopped
• 2 organic Persian cucumber, very finely chopped, seeds removed preferably, I like the skin on hence organic
• 1 ripe organic beefsteak tomato very finely chopped or handful of baby tomatoes halves
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons e.v olive oil ( optional) I found it tastes just as good without olive oil too.
• Sea Salt and cracked black pepper as needed
• **You can also add a handful of pomegranate arils for sweetness
• ** I also like to add sliced radishes for some peppery zest its totally optional

Here’s how

1. Wash the parsley and mint leaves and dry very well;  lay the leaves on a paper towel to make sure they are absolutely dry or your salad will be soggy
2. Wash the cucumber, tomato and pat it dry.
3. Finely chop the herbs and vegetables and dump it in a large mixing or salad bowl.
4. In a small bowl whisk salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil ( if using).
5. Add the quinoa and the dressing to the veggie bowl. Mix very well till everything is evenly distributed. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed.
6. Enjoy as a light meal or a side dish to a Mediterranean mezza.