Gluten Free Recipe of the Month: Quinoa Tabouli

One of the best parts of summer, for produce lovers everywhere, is the abundance of fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits.  It is also the time for lots of picnics and barbecues; requiring a whole new set of recipes.  This month’s gluten free recipe features a quinoa tabouli, a versatile nutrient dense side dish great for any summertime venue.

Tabouli is a Middle Eastern dish believed to have originated in Lebanon. Traditionally, it is made with bulgur wheat which unfortunately contains gluten.  This recipe uses quinoa instead; a nutrient dense naturally gluten free grain.  The recipe is not only delicious, but is free of other food allergens, suitable for celiacs and provides all the flavor of traditional tabouli.  It is also the perfect time for this recipe as fresh herbs are abundant and inexpensive this time of year. 

Quinoa Tabouli
Created by Mum Mum’s own dietitian, this is a great dish to make ahead of time as sitting overnight helps further blend the flavors before eating.  If you are making this dish for the whole family, play around with the amounts of garlic and lemon as those flavors are strong but easily adjusted for personal or familial preference.  The possible variations for tabouli are endless so get creative!

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
Pinch of sea salt
1 and ¼ cup fresh flat-leafed parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh mint
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 (1 cup) cucumbers, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
1-3 cloves fresh garlic (depending on taste, little ones might not like a lot of garlic)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place water, quinoa, and pinch of sea salt in a 2 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cover; cook for about 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.  Allow to cool then fluff with a fork.  While quinoa is cooking, dice parley, mint, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and garlic if using. Add the lemon juice and olive oil to the mixture then add to cool quinoa.  The quinoa tabouli is best if refrigerated at least one hour before serving. 

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Tags: gluten free

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 4:16 pm and is filed under Baby Food & Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.