WHB – Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Just like many, I too am trying to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables since the holidays seem to have shrunk my clothes just a smidgen. Since summer is finally setting in, salads seem the most appropriate for me.

I love to combine whole grains with vegetables and a splash of lime juice. Many times, I wind up throwing together whatever is in my fridge that suits my fancy. Occasionally, I actually plan out a salad I want to eat. New Years weekend was one of those times. I had been craving a good dose of quinoa with fresh cut veggies for quite some time. Although I have tried my hand at bulgur tabbouleh, I enjoy it much more with a quinoa base.

Quinoa is an amino acid rich seed which was originally cultivated in the Andes mountains of Peru over 5,000 years ago. Quinoa, although considered a grain, is actually part of the swiss chard and spinach family. According to WHFoods, quinoa should be incorporated into the diet of migraine sufferers do to its high levels of magnesium and riboflavin. I imagine that most of us should incorporate more whole grains or complete protein seeds like quinoa into our diets!

With all these fresh vegetables and the incredible quinoa, this is my first 2008 submission to Weekend Herb Blogging over at Kalyn’s Kitchen!

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

3 cups of cooked quinoa (see “How to Cook Quinoa” for cooking instructions)
1 1/2 cups of diced, peeled & seeded cucumber
1 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup of chopped mint
2 cups of diced tomato
1 cup of chopped green onions
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of fresh lime juice
3 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

In a bowl, combine quinoa, cucumber, parsley, mint, tomato, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to combine all ingredients. Cover and chill at least one hour. Serves 8.