Quinoa Tabbouleh
This is one of my very favorite recipes. It makes a great side dish or a vegan main. If you tolerate dairy, you can add a nice salty feta cheese for a nice addition. It is wonderful in the summer with any protein off the grill.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (I use a blend of red and white, but, any will do), rinsed well
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large organic English cucumber
1 pint organic grape tomatoes
2/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2/3 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced (green and white portions, though I chop the white portions a bit)
Directions:
Bring rinsed quinoa, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/4 cups filtered water to a boil in a medium saucepan, over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to stand, covered, for 10 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing liberally with salt and pepper. It is fine to make it a bit salty here, because it will balance when you add the quinoa and vegetables.
Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, fluffing it as you go. Mix in 1/4 cup of the dressing. You can prepare up to here 1 day ahead. Just cover the quinoa and dressing separately and store in the fridge.
Prep cucumber by removing the ends and slicing in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds of both halves. Cut each half 1 or 2 more times lengthwise to make strips about 1/2 inch in width. Then cut strips into 1/2 inch pieces.
Prep tomatoes by cutting in halves or quarters so that they are easily bite sized.
Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs and scallions to bowl with quinoa. Add remaining dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, tossing again to be sure everything is well combined.