Quinoa Tabouli Salad
20 mins 4 servings
Tabouli is typically made with bulgur, or sometimes couscous – both of which contain gluten. But substitute in amazing quinoa, and you’ll have a perfect gluten-free healthy salad! This is just one of many salads in which you can easily substitute quinoa for another grain and still get that great salad taste and texture. Try it with either cooked or sprouted quinoa – depending on life schedules, I keep both on hand and ready to go.
Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa
- 1 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1 cucumber peeled (if not organic), seeded, and diced
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Cook the quinoa according to package directions and let it cool. (Alternately, you can soak the quinoa covered with water in a glass or stainless steel bowl in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The quinoa will soften and sprout. Change the water every other day.)
In a food processor, mix olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Pulse until combined. Add mint, salt and pepper. Process until mint leaves and garlic are minced and the dressing is what I love to call “dressing smooth.” Adjust seasonings to taste.
Drain the quinoa (whether cooked or sprouted). Combine gently with the dressing, chopped parsley, cucumber and tomato.
Serve as is, or in lettuce leaves. Enjoy!
Fun Fact:
Quinoa is known as a grain, but it's actually a seed. Soaking grains and seeds before eating them reduces phytic acid, a mineral inhibitor, which allows the body to absorb more nutrients. Iron absorption is the most striking example: one study found that if you can remove phytic acid entirely from grains, you can improve your iron absorption three times for rice, and nearly twelve times for wheat and quinoa.
Top your dish with sliced avocado (an avocado a day keeps the doctor away!) or anything your creativity leads you to try. This is one of my favorite dishes - I hope you love it as much as my family does.
From my table to yours - enjoy!
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