Fabulous Quinoa Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a favorite salad in our home that also makes wonderful portable brown bag lunches. Made from fresh ingredients, it tastes particularly good in the summertime when there's a bounty of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. Tradionally made with bulgur wheat, I've lately started using quinoa, an ancient grain that is gaining more and more popularity because of its versatility, easy digestibility and high nutrient content. Quinoa cooks in 15 minutes, but can also be sprouted, which takes a little longer and requires some forethought. It can be served as a breakfast cereal, used as a side dish, or become the foundation for any number of salads. It has a slightly nutty taste that can be brought out further by toasting the seeds prior to cooking. In short: it's a real winner as far as staple items in the pantry go. I recently dished up this tasty version of a tabbouleh salad. Check it out!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

2 bundles parsley, finely chopped

1 packet fresh mint (about 1 oz.), finely chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

2-3 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice (approx. 2 small lemons)

5-6 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

optional: crumbled feta

Preparation:

Rinse the quinoa well in a fine-meshed sieve to remove the naturally occurring saponins surrounding the grain. If this step is left out, the quinoa may taste a little soapy. When the water runs clear, the quinoa is sufficiently rinsed.

Mix quinoa with 2 cups of water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove quinoa from the heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and mix the lemon juice and olive oil for the dressing. When the quinoa has cooled, mix all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste. This salad is great stuffed in pita bread for a portable lunch or as a side dish or all on its own. My daughter and I sometimes toss a small amount of crumbled feta cheese into the mix, giving this Middle Eastern dish a bit of a Greek spin. Either way it is a really good and filling summer salad.