Zesty Tabbouleh

Are you keeping cool this summer? For many, the last thing we want to do in July is turn on the oven or stove!  Therefore, today’s Zesty Tabbouleh recipe is inspired by keeping your home cool but still enjoying a healthy meal. I have chosen a recipe using my favourite whole grain, bulgur, because it can “cook” sitting on the counter in boiling water instead of on the stove. Bulgur is a wheat kernel with double the fibre of brown rice, a subtle nutty flavour and chewy taste.

Tabbouleh, a traditional Middle Eastern dish, is often made using bulgur and lots parsley.  In case you missed it, I recently wrote about Top 5 Must-Have Garden Herbs (and cool ways to use them).

• Serves: 2-3
• Total time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup bulgur
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• ½ cucumber, cut into quarters
• 1 green onion chopped, or 2 tbsp fresh chives or 1 tbsp red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions for Zesty Tabbouleh:

1. Firstly, to cook bulgur, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. In a ceramic/glass bowl with a lid add ½ cup dry bulgur and butter/margarine. When water is boiled, pour hot water over bulgur and cover immediately. Set timer for 45 minutes for bulgur to cook in the boiling water. However, it is crucial to not uncover or stir.
2. Meanwhile, chop up fresh parsley, mint and onion or chives. Cut up cucumbers and tomatoes and set aside.
3. When bulgur has sat for 45 minutes, drain any excess liquid with a strainer and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add fresh ingredients like herbs and cucumber to bulgur along with oil, lemon juice and salt to season. Allow salad to marinate, ideally for minimum of four hours.
5. Add tomatoes when ready to serve and stir into salad.
6. Finally, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedge.

Zesty Tabbouleh

Yield: 2-3

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Today’s Zesty Tabbouleh recipe is inspired by keeping your home cool but still enjoying a healthy meal.

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Ingredients

• ½ cup bulgur
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• ½ cucumber, cut into quarters
• 1 green onion chopped, or 2 tbsp fresh chives or 1 tbsp red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

1. To cook bulgur, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. In a ceramic/glass bowl with a lid add ½ cup dry bulgur and butter/margarine. When water is boiled, pour hot water over bulgur and cover immediately. Set timer for 45 minutes for bulgur to cook in the boiling water. Do not uncover or stir.
2. Chop up fresh parsley, mint and onion or chives. Cut up cucumbers and tomatoes.
3. When bulgur has sat for 45 minutes, drain any excess liquid with a strainer and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add fresh ingredients like herbs and cucumber to bulgur along with oil, lemon juice and salt to season. Allow salad to marinate, ideally for minimum of four hours.
5. Add tomatoes when ready to serve and stir into salad.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedge.