Tag Archives: salad

Recipe Box: Quinoa Tabbouleh

Posted on by
Reply
Quinoa Tabbouleh


I first made Quinoa Tabbouleh for friends who kept a vegan/vegetarian diet, following the recipe to a T and received favorable results. I made it again for my mom and she also loved it. Somehow I’ve not tackled in a couple of years, but when Mother’s Day rolled around and it was decided that my brother and I would throw our mom a picnic in the park, I instantly thought of this salad. As luck would have it, she requested it and this time I decided to get creative and make some changes.

Mom favored the changes immensely, so I wanted to share it with you. Quinoa, if you’re new around here, is a high-protein alternative to meat as well as grains like rice, bulgar wheat and couscous. This dish can be served as a side or main dish. It’s perfect for bringing to a potluck, appropriate for both vegans and gluten-free friends, cool and filling enough for summer and an ideal candidate for Meatless Mondays.

Quinoa Tabbouleh
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 cucumber, peeled & diced
2 bunches green onions, diced
1 cup Kalamata olives, diced
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

  • Rinse the quinoa before adding it along with the 2 c. of water into a 1.5 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for roughly 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with fork and transfer to a bowl. Allow quinoa to cool completely.

    • While your quinoa is cooking:

  • Quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds before dicing them.
  • Rinse the brine from the fresh olives (please do not use tin/canned olives)
  • Dice up the green onions, olives, parsley & cucumber

  • Add the chopped veg, herb and olives to a mixing bowl separate from the one that holds the quinoa. Mix in the olive oil and lemon juice before incorporating the quinoa into the bowl, mixing well.
  • Cover tightly will plastic wrap, stick it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

    • Alternatives:
    You can use cilantro/coriander in lieu of parsley
    Feta cheese
    Grated carrot (it is called for in the original recipe)
    Halve cherry or quarter strawberry tomatoes if you’re like me and hate dicing up larger tomatoes
    You don’t have to use that much olive oil – feel free to cut the measurement in half.

    Quinoa Tabbouleh

    Recipe Box: Crab, Mango & Avocado Salad

    Posted on by
    Reply

    We had a small reprieve from typical summer weather but it’s starting to really heat up again over here in Los Angeles. When the heat sets in, I just don’t have the desire to cook anything that requires heat. That is where this salad comes in. I created it on the fly, just going by what my mom used to make (minus the raging amount of mayonnaise she used to pile on) and improvising this and that along the way. I liked the salad so much I made it again the next day.


    Fake Crab, Avocado and Mango Salad

    Crab, Mango & Avocado Salad
    You’ll Need:
    1 can of lump crab/1 package of imitation crab (1 lbs of fresh crab?)
    1 avocado, diced
    1 shallot, sliced into teeny weeny rings
    1 mango, diced
    1 tablespoon of mayo (alt: veganaise, garlic aioli)
    1 teaspoon garlic powder
    pinch of onion powder
    splash of lemon or lime juice
    Romaine hearts, washed & chopped
    A grind or two of fresh black pepper

    Get a big ass bowl.
    Toss your ingredients into said bowl.
    Mix it all up.
    Enjoy on crackers. (I’m partial to Elki water crackers, but I’m spoiled)