TABBOULEH traditionally is made with bulgur wheat or couscous. I made this recipe using quinoa as a substitute for its health and gluten free attributes and lets get real it taste pretty much the same. I really enjoy Tabbouleh salad as it goes with just about everything. Its also really good to keep in the fridge as a healthy snack and the Quinoa is a slow digesting carb/protien mix that makes you feel fuller longer - BOOM!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup of Quinoa
2 Bushes of Parsley (cut off stems and mince)
1 Bush or 3/4 Cup of Mint (cut of stems and mince)
3 Medium Tomatoes
1/2 a Large Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Measure out 1 cup of Quinoa and add it to two cups of water. Bring the water and quinoa to a boil then cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

In the meantime go ahead and wash, dry and mince your Parsley and Mint. Add it to a large bowl.

Next chop the Tomatos in quarters and remove the seeds. Once the seeds are removed chop the tomato quarters down into small "pinkie nail" sizes. Add the chopped tomato to the bowl with the parsley and mint.

Now you can chop the Onion into about the same size as you did the tomato and add it to the bowl.

Next you can mince the Garlic and add it to the bowl with the parsley, mint, tomatoes and onions.

Your quinoa should be done by now. If it is remove from heat and let cool. You don't want to add it to the bowl until it has completely cooled down.

While it is cooling you can juice the Lemons. I think I juiced about 5-6 lemons to yield about 1.5 Cups of juice.

Once the Quinoa has cooled down add it into the bowl with the other ingredients followed by the lemon juice. You can also add 2 TBSP of Olive oil and mix all the contents of the bowl together. You can add salt and pepper at the end for taste as well as more lemon juice if you fancy it.

Can you dig it???? Whats your take on Tabbouleh? Has anyone ever toasted their Quinoa before cooking it? Not sure how I feel about the taste. Share your thoughts by commenting.

This post was inspired by Tori Avey of http://toriavey.com/ She is one of the food blogs I always like to follow and be inspired by.