Quinoa Tabbouleh
It was a Saturday afternoon and Kris, Jonathan, and I were shopping at a market in Columbia, Maryland called Mom’s Organic Market. It was our first time in the store, and as we checked out the various foods and products, we were offered samples to taste. Quinoa Tabbouleh was one of the dishes offered, and we didn’t need more than one bite to know we had found a new favorite food.
Quinoa is a versatile, ancient grain, cultivated in the South American Andes since at least 3000 BC. It’s high in protein, calcium, and iron, as well as a pretty good source of several B vitamins and vitamin E. It contains a perfect balance of all nine essential amino acids needed for tissue development, which makes it a perfect protein.
This recipe lends itself to any raw vegetables you would like to use. Proportions can be changed, as well as the amount of oil and lemon juice to suit your taste. This salad is best if it’s allowed to marinate for 8 or more hours, but will be tasty if eaten immediately. ~ June
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 1/4 cups water
- ~
- 2 cups red and yellow peppers, seeded, cut into 3/8” pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 3/8” pieces
- 2 carrots shredded
- 1 cup minced scallion (1 bunch) or 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped (1 bunch)
- 1 large cucumber, seeded and diced
- ~
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (1 1/2 lemons) or more to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or any light tasting oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Seasoned Salt or less to taste
- Fresh ground black or colored pepper
- 1. Rinse quinoa in cold water and drain through splatter screen to remove the bitter coating. Repeat this process two more times. To cook the quinoa, add 1 1/4 cups cold water and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Check to ensure the quinoa doesn’t burn in the last few minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, still covered, for another 5 minutes.
- 2. Fluff quinoa and spread out on a large baking sheet to cool for an hour.
- 3. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and stir together in a large bowl. Add the cooled quinoa and mix.
- 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, seasoned salt, and pepper. Add to vegetables and stir until thoroughly combined.
- 5. This salad is best if refrigerated for at least a couple of hours or overnight before serving, but also good if eaten immediately.
- Note: You may need to add more oil, lemon, or seasonings to get it just the way your taste buds like it. I (Kris) like a modest amount of lemon juice, while my mother delights in heavy lemon flavor. Do whatever works for you.
- Less Raw Vegetables: If your body has issues with certain raw vegetables, sauté broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus in buttery spread until barely cooked but still crisp. Turn off heat, add a couple cloves of minced garlic, and stir to mix well. Set aside and cool before adding to the rest of the Tabbouleh ingredients.
- Raw Onion Alternative: If your body doesn’t do well with raw onions but you still like the onion flavor, finely chop a large red or white onion and add it to the quinoa before cooking. The flavor will permeate the quinoa but not overwhelm it. Another option is to stir onion powder into lemon juice.
- Large bowl
- Sharp knife
- Your favorite cutting board
- Citrus juicer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large baking sheet
- Splatter screen
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