Quinoa Tabouli

Spoiler alert: this is neither groundbreaking or creative. Quinoa has been substituted for bulgar wheat for quite some time now, especially in the gluten free community. However, what a fine substitution it is! Before being diagnosed with celiac, tabouli was one of those foods I ate at least once a week. Parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon... all of my favorite things in one dish. You really can't go wrong! When I started eating gluten free, I substituted the first thing that came to mind, and it was quinoa. It worked just as well (if not better!), so you can see why everyone, not just your gluten-intolerant folks, has been making tabouli with it. Quinoa is one of those "magical grains" you have been hearing all about lately. Fad? I hope not. It's full of so many great things, including manganese, magnesium, folate, phosphorus, protein, and fiber. It is a complete source of protein, which means it contains all of the essential amino acids. It's also super versatile- it works great at any meal!

This is my special recipe for tabouli. I just love parsley, and my ratio of parsley:everything else is absurd. You all can adjust to your own taste preferences, but I feel like this combination is de-lish.

Quinoa Tabouli




Ingredients
makes 4 servings
-1 c quinoa, dry
-3 c parsley, chopped
-1 c tomatoes, chopped
-1 c cucumbers, chopped
-1 medium red onion
-1/2 c green onions, chopped
-1/4 c mint, chopped
-1/2 c lemon juice (fresh works best)
-1/4 c olive oil

Directions

-Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa to a boil. Simmer until water is evaporated and quinoa is soft (15-20 min). Cool.
-Chop all of the vegetables and herbs and add to quinoa
-Toss with lemon juice and olive oil
-Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
-Salt and pepper, to taste


Enjoy this delicious salad, my friends. Hint: it's even better the next day!