Hello again, everyone! Sorry I haven’t posted in a while… I just finished writing my board exam (NPLEX I). It was the first of two board exams Naturopathic Doctors will write. I have been studying like crazy over the past 6 weeks so excuse my lack of updating the blog! I’m SO excited that the exam is out of the way because now I can focus on a month of relaxation before school starts up again in September! What better way to kick off summer than with a refreshing new recipe? I’m headed to a BBQ this afternoon in Toronto and I decided to bring my signature tabbouleh!
Tabbouleh is so fresh and full of flavour that you don’t even crave dessert after. I always find that the more flavour that I have in my meal, the more satisfied I feel! This dish has a never-ending list of health benefits. The herbs and fresh ingredients will rev up your organs’ detoxing pathways, will boost your immunity, fight colds or infections, promote digestion, aid in weight loss and keep you hydrated. The tabbouleh that I make is a bit different than the traditional middle-eastern style. The big change that I find makes the best difference is substituting traditional bulgur for quinoa. This little change makes the dish gluten-free and a lot easier to digest, leaving me with more energy. Making your own tabbouleh is 100% better than purchasing one pre-made from the grocery store. The pre-packaged salads are loaded with preservatives, sugar and canola oil instead of olive oil. I found this product at Metro and purchased it just to show you the difference and compare ingredients.
Tabbouleh is amazing to always have in your fridge. For those of you that follow me on snapchat (jamierezoski) you’ll frequently see my breakfasts involving tabbouleh. I also love to use it as a side with a piece of salmon or chicken breast for dinner. For a snack, I fill it in gluten-free pitas or lettuce wraps with a bit of hummus.
I hope you enjoy!
CAUTION #1: If you’re pregnant, a lot of botanists consider parsley in high doses an abortifacient so stay far away from this dish if you might be or are pregnant.
CAUTION #2: My recipes are really not proper recipes (I never do exact measurements)… If you think you need to add a little more or a little less of something… please do.
You will need:
- A bushel of Parsley (I used both Italian parsley from the market and curly parsley from my garden)
- 20 Mint Leaves
- 1 Tomato
- 1 large Lemon
- Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Quinoa
- 1/4 of a large Cucumber, peeled
- 1/2 White Onion
- Salt & Pepper
RECIPE:
- Remove the bottom part of the parsley bushel (the part of the stem before the leaves start). Slice the parsley finely including the stem remaining.
- Chop up the mint leaves finely.
- Slice the cucumber, tomato, onion and into very thin cubes (there’s a lot of chopping!)
- Mix all the vegetables and herbs in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle in quinoa.
- Drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and squeeze the entire lemon juice into the mix as dressing.
- Add salt & pepper to taste (you don’t need much at all!) and refrigerate.
- Mix before serving and enjoy!
