Mediterranean Tabouleh Salad
This is an easy recipe to pull together in an afternoon or busy night, and makes for a great vegetarian option. It's also one of those recipes that you can get many of the ingredients from your own garden or local farmer's market. The added mint in this dish makes it a refreshing salad for summer afternoons.
If you don't have bulgar wheat or want to go gluten free, you can easily substitute quinoa, (which will also give you more protein).
1/2 Cup Bulgur Wheat*
2 Medium Tomatoes, small dice
2 Small Cucumbers, peeled in stripes, de-seeded and cut into small dice
2 Sprigs of Parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
6-8 Fresh Mint Leaves, chiffonade (cut into thin strips)
4 Green Onions, sliced into small circles
Salt, to taste
4 Tbl Fresh Lime Juice (sub lemon if you don't have lime)
4 Tbl Exra Virgin Olive Oil
Rinse and soak the bulgur for 20-30 minutes in 1 to 1 1/4 cups water. Drain well, squeezing lightly by hand to remove excess water. Set aside.
Place all chopped vegetables in mixing bowl. If tomatoes seem a little extra juicy, place them in a colander first to drain the liquid. Keep the liquid for later use in sauce or soup!
Add the bulgur to the vegetables and season with a 1/2 tsp of salt. Then add the lime juice and olive oil. Stir together well and taste for seasoning, adjust salt level as needed.
For a little kick, add 1/2 tsp of Red Pepper Flakes!
For best flavor, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with pita bread or my favorite, over a plate of fresh, seasonal greens.
*Shopping notes, there are a few kinds of bulgur out there, I like this one, from Bob's Red Mill. You can find it in most grocery stores often next to other grains and rice.