Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made with bulgar wheat. You may have had it in Turkish restaurants, or seen it at Costco (my mom got a big tub of it for her 60th birthday party yesterday!). But, if you or your guests/friends/family are gluten-free, bulgar wheat is a no no. Quick fix? Switch out the bulgar for quinoa and you have Quinoa Tabbouleh! Honestly, I never liked tabbouleh before making it this way. If you’ve never had it, give it a shot. You can also make it your own by adding in the type of herbs that appeal to you. I personally love the mint, I think it really brightens up this dish.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 cups of flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup mint, chopped
• 1/3 cup scallions, sliced
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 3 cups), halved
• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 small cucumbers (Persian or English are best because they have less seeds), diced

Directions

1. Cook quinoa with ½ tsp salt and two cups water. Bring to a boil then lower heat and cover for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.
2. Mince the garlic and put it in the lemon juice to sit. Chop the herbs, scallions and the rest of the ingredients.
3. When the quinoa is done, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat the grains.
4. Add the rest of the herbs and vegetables to the bowl along with 1 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix and adjust seasoning

Happy Eating!