Quinoa Tabouli Salad

Tabouli Salad is traditionally made with cracked wheat bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, and a garlic mint dressing. This tasty recipe replaces the bulgur with quinoa to make it gluten-free, and uses mint leaves in the salad rather than in the dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil, add the quinoa, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the water is nearly absorbed and the grain appears soft with the germ ring visible along the outside edge of the grain. Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 25 minutes or until cool.
2. Peel and smash the clove of garlic then rub it inside a large serving bowl, which will add a light flavor to the salad mix. Refrigerate what remains of the garlic in a ziploc snack bag for use in another recipe, or if you love garlic mince the clove and add it to the mix.
3. Place all of the remaining ingredients inside the serving bowl and mix with a large spoon. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 8 hours.

Variations:

1. If you prefer, replace the mint with fresh basil leaves.
2. Replace the fresh parsley leaves with fresh cilantro leaves if you like.
3. You can add to the mix 1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped.
4. You can add 1/4 cup pitted and chopped black olives.

Each variation (regular, with basil, cilantro, cucumber, or olives) adds a slightly different flavor. If you try one or more, let us know what you think!

Yield:
Makes 4 servings.

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