Terrific Tabouli: Wheat and Herb Salad

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One of my favorite loves is the vibrant, and refreshing Mediterranean salad known as Tabouli (Tabouleh). I first picked up a container of this savory salad from the market (in the deli section) and have been hooked on it's tangy flavor ever since! So now I make my own for peak freshness, nutritious value, and lack of nasty preservatives.
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Tabouli is a flavor-packed, balanced salad made of a collage of fresh parsley, olive oil , tomatoes, lemon, garlic and bulgar. I serve it on a bed of romaine lettuce to use as scoops to eat by hand. The veggies you choose to use can vary with the addition of carrots, cucumbers, red onions or scallions. I like to add these for that extra crunchy bite! Below, I provide you with the basic ingredients, but, as always, I recommend that you adjust all of the quantities of each ingredient to your own preference level. Everyone has unique taste preferences, and I personally like more garlic and less mint. Another tip to make this salad truly shine and sing on your tastebuds is to let it marinate in the frig for a little bit (about an hour) so that all the flavors marry and blend together for a symphony of flavor in every bite! This tasty salad is very healthy and oh so filling!
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And here's the cool part - - One cup is only about 110 calories, 3 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbs, zero percent cholesterol, and is high in vitamins A and C! And the green parsley, romaine lettuce, and lemon are great de-tox cleansers to get rid of all that junk in our systems!
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Tabouli
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What you'll need to make the Tabouli:
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1-1/2 cups chopped fresh Italian parsley (stems discarded)
1 Tbsp. freshly diced mint
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 minced cloves of garlic (gotta have garlic, right?)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup bulgar, medium grade (you can also use quinoa or couscous)
3 Tbsp. (or more to your preference) freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Romaine lettuce
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Here's what you need to do to prepare the Tabouli:
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Soak bulgar in water for 15 minutes to a 1/2 hour in cold, clean water until soft.
Drain any extra water from the bulgar and then squeeze it again with paper towels.
Combine all ingredients.
Line serving bowl with clean romaine lettuce leaves
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

To your health! Ching, ching and salute'! Pin It