Mia Sugarman, Senior Dietetics major, Psychology minor Boston University

Sargent Choice Quinoa Tabbouleh
Recipes modified from Epricurious.com
Yield: 8 servings

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dry quinoa*
• 1 ¼ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 large English cucumber, cut into ¼” pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2/3 cup chopped flat parsley
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 scallions thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring quinoa, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with remaining salt and pepper.
3. To cool: spread out quinoa on a large rimmed baking sheet; let cool.
4. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in 1/4 cup dressing.
5. Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat.
6. Drizzle remaining dressing over.

What we liked:

• We liked that this recipe was full of flavor from the garlic, mint, parsley as well as the lemon juice.
• The dish was quick and easy to make. The quinoa could be made in the microwave so few appliances were needed.
• Many different vegetables could be added according to your preference. You could also substitute a variety of whole grains.
• The quinoa could be batch prepared and stored to consume later.

Suggestions:

• Add additional protein such as chickpeas, black beans or falafel to enjoy this dish as a meal.
• Add the dressing to the quinoa when you want to eat it and store it separately to preserve the dish for longer.
• Sprinkle black pepper for additional flavor.

Nutritional value:

• Quinoa is a complete source of plant protein. This means that unlike other sources of plant proteins it contains all the amino acids (the building blocks of proteins, including those that our bodies cannot make). It is also a great source of fiber. This is good for promoting a healthy digestive tract and supporting cellular growth.
• Tomatoes and cucumbers contain vitamin C and antioxidants (hence their beautiful bright colors), this is important to promote healthy vision. The skin of the cucumber contains fiber and vitamin K.
• Lemon juice is also a great source of vitamin C and squeezing lemon juice on sources of protein such as fish or meat can help to increase iron absorption. Adding fish and meat to this dish would also be delicious and provide additional protein.
• Olive oil is a good source of healthy unsaturated fat.