I can credit yoga for helping me in the first two regards, and this quinoa tabbouleh salad & hummus for the third. I've had it for lunch every day this week. Weird? Probably. Delicious? Absolutely.
I love tabbouleh, but I usually eat smallish amounts of it as a condiment - to add a bit of zest and crunch to a pita slathered in hummus, or as a side dish to a grilled kabob. But, I had to eschew the pita, of course, and traditional tabbouleh is made from bulgur wheat, so I opted for quinoa as a gluten-free substitute. I bulked up the tabbouleh with some spinach so that it was substantial enough for a salad base, and cut the pieces a little bit bigger than I usually would since it was really for a "salad". This is a great excuse to take a shortcut, by the way. Then, I top the salad with a healthy heap of hummus and a few baby carrots for dipping.
Hummus is one of those things that once you learn how to make, you will never buy store-bought again. Homemade hummus is so easy, super flavorful, and much cheaper than store-bought. Store-bought hummuses are standardized, but hummus is better when you get to call the shots. (Or at least, for this control freak, it is.) When making your own hummus, you get to dictate the texture - most store bought hummuses are too creamy and smooth for my taste and I don't feel satisfied after I eat them. When you make your own, you get to call the shots. You get to say how much olive oil and tahini to add - I hate hummuses that are too oily. And, you can add whatever sort of ingredients you want - make it your own. Roasted garlic and roasted red pepper are two common flavors - but how about spinach and artichoke, white bean, edamame & ginger, pine nut & basil, or curried hummus? The variations are limitless.
Today is (technically) the last day of Lent. (Fun fact: Holy Friday and Holy Saturday are not counted toward the 40 day total since they are Holy Days.) However, I'll likely stick with the gluten-free, sugar-free thing until Easter. Tomorrow, I'll be at my happy place, so I am not sure what kind of breakfast you'll have, but I'll try my best to make it a good one.
Quinoa tabbouleh salad
Makes about 3 lunch salads
For the tabbouleh salad
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
2 handfuls spinach, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 cup feta (optional)
3/4 cup cooked quinoa (about 1/4 cup uncooked + 1/2 cup water)
For the lemon viniagrette
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 lemons, juiced and zested
salt and pepper, to taste
1. Bring 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Cover and reduce to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, turn off heat and let sit 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Very finely chop herbs (without stems) and spinach. You want the pieces to be smaller than bite-sized.
3. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces. Finely dice the cucumbers and red onion.
4. Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over salad, to taste. Toss to coat.
Roasted garlic hummus
Makes about 3 cups
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas
2 tablespoons tahini
1-2 fresh lemons, juiced (3 or 4 tablespoons)
6 roasted garlic cloves
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper
1. Roast your garlic cloves: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut a little bit off the top of a head of garlic and peel back the outer layers. Spray top with olive oil spray. Wrap in foil and roast in the oven 30-40 minutes, or until cloves are soft.
2. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the head of garlic by simply squeezing them out, or scooping them out with a small spoon.
3. Combine first four ingredients in a food processor while drizzling in olive oil from above. Start with one tablespoon and drizzle more if necessary. Process until your desired consistency - I like mine less creamy, and more textured.
2. Add a couple of tablespoons of water at a time until the hummus has reached your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and adjust according to taste. Pin It Now!
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