Quinoa Tabbouleh with Almonds and Feta

I had this Tabbouleh at a friend's house a few summers ago and it was instant love! 

Authentic Middle-Eastern tabbouleh is made with bulgur, but quinoa is an excellent substitute. In fact I like it even better this way. The fact that it also makes it gluten- free makes me happy since I try to limit my wheat intake as much as possible. And this salad is chock full of nutritious goodness. Lots of protein and fiber in here with the addition of the almonds. The almonds make this version of tabbouleh unique. You can totally omit them but I love it! They makes the salad extra crunchy and filling. I served this with zucchini fritters (recipe here) and hummus (recipe to come) for a light and delicious summer supper.This is a great lunch salad too. It is actually better on day two and three. Served on a bed of spinach you will feel full and satisfied and happy and healthy after eating this.

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 medium English cucumber, peeled and diced

1/2 red onion, diced finely

1 cup chopped Italian parsley

1/2 cup of mint

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil (I used less)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Almonds, (optional). I used whole, lightly salted.

Crumbled feta, to taste

You can follow the cooking directions on your quinoa packaging but this is how I did it:

Rinse the quinoa. It has a bitter coating on it that you must rinse away. Toast the quinoa in a dry pot, stirring over medium heat until the water has evaporated. Add two cups of water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, turn heat to low and simmer, covered, 13-15 minutes. Remove from heat, and fluff with a fork. Cover and let sit for 5 more minutes.

Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add all the chopped veggies and herbs. Pour lemon juice and olive oil over the top and mix well. Add a small amount of salt an pepper. Transfer bowl to the refrigerator and let the salad cool for at least 30 minutes. Add almonds and feta before serving.

Serves 8