Looking for a tangy, refreshing #summersalad? If you have a little extra time, and you've got some knife skillz, try tabbouli. It's a #fitandfresh mediterranean salad made from primarily parsley and tomatoes. Popular in the Levant region of the Middle East, where Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and now Israel call home.
Growing up, this was literally the only vegetable form I would eat without a fight #lebaneseandproud. If I wasn't eating tabbouli, I was begging for grilled cheese, top ramen, peanut butter and nestle's quick... Naughty kid.
Be forewarned. Tabbouli takes a quite a lot of work. Even though I'm pretty fast with the knife, this salad takes me around 40 minutes and requires a lot of chopping, mincing and finely dicing. Imagine- the only way I ate vegetables was if my parents put their blood, sweat, and tears into it. So if you know you like tabbouli and you decide to invest that kind of time to make it, just make a big batch. it keeps well in the fridge and it tastes awesome as leftovers. #vivalubnan,
Tabbouli is versatile: you can add radishes, romaine lettuce, or cucumbers, double the mint or put none at all. I add my own touch: instead of regular lemons or lemon juice, I seek out Meyer lemons: they are a cross between a lemon and an orange, a little sweeter, not as sour.
Lebanese Style Tabbouli
Ingredients (4 servings):
4 bunches flat leaf (Italian) parsley, minced, stems removed
3 large tomatoes, diced
1 bunch (1/2 cup) mint, minced-- not spearmint or peppermint, that's just gross
1 long cucumber, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup fine ground bulghur (crushed wheat)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, or juice from about 3 lemons
salt and black pepper to taste
Sumac to taste (optional)
5 radishes, minced (optional)
1/3 head of romaine lettuce (optional)
Sub the bulghur for some pre-cooked and cooled quinoa for a #glutenfree salad with a dash of extra protein.
Preparation:
1. put the bulghur and lemon juice in a small bowl to soak. The bulghur will soften and double in volume as it absorbs the liquid.
2. Chop the tomatoes and add them to the bulghur/lemon juice. Do not mix, just let the bulghur soak up the juices in the tomatoes.
3. Chop all the other vegetables.
4. Add olive oil, spices, and the tomato/lemon/bulghur.
5. Toss your salad, and serve!
Pair it with a nice piece of grilled chicken or fish, some fresh hummus, and a pita for a well-rounded gourmet levantine meal. Then invite me over. Hope you love this little cultural treat from your #lebanesedietitian behind #bespokenutritionconsulting. Stay healthy.
One serving, 1 1/2 cups contains about 105 calories and 12g total carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, and 4g protein.
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