Editor’s Note: Last week, we kicked off the Summer Recipes series and paid homage to the health benefits of the cucumber with the “Chilled & Dilled Cucumber Soup.” This week, Ellen Sue Spicer-Jacobson takes us on another adventure starring quinoa.

Crunchy Quinoa Tabouli

Tabouli is traditionally made with bulghur, which is a form of wheat that has been toasted. However, almost any grain can be made tabouli-like. Quinoa lends itself nicely to the task because it is actually a seed that roasts well. I used sprouted tri-colored quinoa, which has already been rinsed and sprouted, so you need not rinse it. If you use regular quinoa, you can decide to rinse and drain before dry-roasting it or skip this step for a firmer, more earthy taste.

Utensils: high-sided sauté or fry pan, cutting board and knife, bowl, serving platter.
Prep. Time: About 15 minutes while quinoa is cooking
Cooking Time: About 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, sprouted & tri-colored if available
2 cups water or soup stock
6 scallions, about 1/2 white part and half green, washed, trimmed and sliced thinly
1 cup diced organic red, yellow, and orange bell peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 slice ginger, minced
chopped parsley, cilantro or mint (1/4- ½ cup)

1 tsp. sesame seeds for garnish
lettuce leaves for lining the platter

Dressing:
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Dry roast quinoa on medium-high heat in a cast iron or stainless steel pan until the grains begin to pop.
2. While dry roasting the quinoa, cut scallions, peppers, garlic and ginger, chop the parsley.
3. Add soup stock to quinoa and turn stove to low-medium and cook about 15 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
4. While quinoa is simmering, wash and dry the lettuce and place in the refrigerator. Finally, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper for dressing and set aside.
5. Place cooked quinoa in a bowl and toss in all the vegetables and mix well. Add dressing and toss again. Place in refrigerator to chill. (Can actually be served warm or cold.)
6. Line the platter with lettuce, spoon on the quinoa mixture, sprinkle on sesame seeds and enjoy!

Yield: 4 cups
Variation: For even more crunch, add the vegetables after the dish has cooled. Mixing raw veggies with cooked grains means the veggies don’t lose any nutrients from the heated quinoa.