Quinoa Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh salad is a great base for lunch or in a pita pocket bread or to complement a meal of kebabs, tzatziki yoghurt dip and green salad.

Usually tabblouleh is made with cous cous or bulghur wheat which are both made from wheat grain. I’m making it here with quiona (pronounces keen-wa) grain. This makes the salad gluten free and suitable for Low FODMAP diets. Quinoa is from South America and is an unusually high protein grain balanced with all essential amino acids.

The salad keeps in the fridge for a few days so works really well for lunches.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 2 lemons juiced- or to taste
• 1 handful or more of mint leaves chopped
• 1 handful or more of parsley chopped
• 4 tomatoes diced
• 1 garlic clove crushed (omit if Low FODMAP)

Method

1. Rinse quinoa in a sieve with running cold water for a minute. Then place in a pan with 2 cups of water. Cook gently until the water is all absorbed.
2. Add salt and lemon juice whilst still warm, check for taste and add more or less as liked.
3. Add garlic if using this.
4. Let cool then add chopped mint, chopped parsley and diced tomato.
5. I have added a chopped avocado to today’s salad for a change.
6. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.