Tabouleh, where have you been all my life? Perhaps I led such a sheltered life or my home town which was primarily Italian or of Slavic descent, did not import from Tabouleh's country of origin. Mostly from Lebanon and Syria this grain is loaded with high fiber, magnesium and Vitamin C. It boasts no cholesterol and is low in saturated fat!
Tabouleh is the name for a salad dish made from bulgur. Nowadays, you can readily find it in any store. I like it because it seems to curb cravings while filling me up. I cheated a bit and bought the brand Near East Tabouleh which already has a spice pack inside. Next time it'll be from scratch! Try it....you may like it!
Tabouleh Salad
1 box "Near East" Tabouleh
6-7 cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 roasted red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 heaping tsp of fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
handful of pine nuts for garnish
In a large bowl put tabouleh and packet provided with box. Add 1 cup of boiling water, stir and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients mixing well. Chill for at least an hour or better yet, overnight as the flavors blend. Serve with more pine nuts (optional). Soooo good!
What a pleasant surprise it is when you find a food that is good for you and you like it! It's almost too easy to go vegetarian when farro is on your side. Farro is similar in texture to barley, but nutty in taste. It's a grain that can be used in risotto instead of rice or in "rice pudding" That I'll have to try! Supposedly, it originates in the mountainous regions of Tuscany and Abruzzo in Italy which are relatively poor areas (or used to be). Regular farro consumption is said to have contributed to these people's longevity. Nothing wrong with that!
Farro - Mediterranean Style
4 "rounds" of pancetta, diced (omit if vegetarian version is wanted)
1 cup or an 8.8 oz bag of farro (before cooking)
1 can (15 oz size) of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 lemon juiced
handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 2.25 oz can of sliced olives, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can of artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and roughly chopped
olive oil
In a large skillet brown the pancetta. Add the garbanzo beans and slightly toast them for a few minutes. Meanwhile or beforehand cook the farro according to directions, usually 10-12 minutes. Drain any liquid out when done. Add the farro, garlic powder, lemon zest and juice, basil, olives and artichoke hearts to the skillet. To finish it off you can drizzle some olive oil in and mix well.
At this point you can serve or refrigerate for later or even the next day. The flavor is even better the next day! Mangia...
