Minted Quinoa Tabouli

4 servings

This savory salad tastes so fresh, you’ll love our high-protein version of the classic summer favorite.  Best to enjoy when cucumbers and tomatoes are fresh and in season.  I love using my mini food processor for chopping the herbs, which saves a lot of prep time; but it’s a pretty minimal effort either way.  The quinoa may be prepared in advance for this dish, since it’s served cold.

Ingredients:

• 1 large English cucumber, peeled and diced (2 to 3 cups)
• 1 cup quinoa
• ¼ cup black lentils
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh if available)
• ½ cup parsley, finely chopped (a mini food processor or spice grinder is helpful if available)
• 4 tablespoons mint, finely chopped (see above)
• 1 tomato (variety of your choice; approximately 1 cup),  seeded and diced
• 1/2 -1 teaspoon salt

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan.  Add quinoa and black lentils, bring to simmering, then reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and allow quinoa mixture to cool.  Mix in remaining ingredients and serve warm or cold.