Quinoa Mushroom Tabbouleh
This mushroom tabbouleh proves that salads need not be boring! Both refreshing and hearty, this take on a classic tabbouleh utilises nutrient dense quinoa in place of bulgur wheat and is topped with tangy sun dried tomatoes and pan fried mushrooms. Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids and contains almost twice as much fibre as most other grains. Mushrooms are great sources of fibre and proteins and are a good source of B vitamins, selenium, potassium, copper, and (particularly when exposed to the sun) vitamin D.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 packed cup of chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup of finely diced cucumber
- 3 tbsp of chopped fresh mint
- 6 sun dried tomatoes
- 3/4 cup of sliced closed cup mushrooms
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus a tablespoon
- 1/2 cup of sliced spring onions
- juice of 1 lemon
- sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa, add to a small saucepan and cover with an inch of boiling water.
- Cover the pan and simmer for 12-15 minutes until soft and fluffy and all the water has evaporated. Leave to cool.
- While the quinoa is cooking, add the sliced mushrooms to a large frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with a little salt and pepper and fry gently until tender – about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the cooled quinoa to a large serving dish and separate the grains with a fork.
- Add the cucumber and spring onions to the quinoa, pour over the lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Add the chopped herbs to the quinoa, season to taste and drizzle with the olive oil. Stir well to combine.
- Top the quinoa with the cooked mushrooms.
- Slice each tomato in half and arrange amongst the mushrooms.
- Scatter with extra parsley to serve.
