3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

I heard today is National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. I'll take it! In honor of the holiday, I figured it was due time I share this recipe for 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies. Yeah, 3 ingredients. Does it get any easier than this? In the realm of daily desserts (ya'll eat dessert on the daily, right?), I love the combination of dates and nuts. So simple, so rich, and so clean. 

For these cookies, I use Adam's brand peanut butter. All natural, and it contains a little salt. If you're using an unsalted peanut butter, add a pinch of sea salt to the recipe.

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies makes 16 cookies

peanut butter, dates, almond flour

• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup dates
• 3-4 Tbsp almond flour

   

Method

Combine peanut butter and dates in a food processor until smooth. You should have a fairly thick paste.

Add 3 Tbsp of almond flour, blend again. Add another Tbsp if necessary to thicken. You want to be able to press the dough between your fingers and have it stick together. 

Use a 1 Tbsp measure to scoop dough, roll into a ball with your hands, and use a fork to cross mark and slightly flatten the cookies.

Cover and refrigerate! These babies will last for about a week in the fridge-- If they make it that long! And they freeze great.

Healing Beetroot Raspberry Smoothie

So it's been freezing the past two weeks in beautiful Bellingham. Like scrape my car, sit in the cold, and make me late for my workout cold.

Not cool Robert Frost!

Kid President, anyone?

Anywhooo. I don't even care that icicles are forming from the tip of my nose, I'll still be making this smoothie and enjoying it from the comfort of my home, curled in front of the space heater.

Just kidding.

...kind of.

I mean, look at that shade of fuchsia! Let me tell you all about it.
Beets, raspberries, banana, ginger, lemon, almond milk. ZING. Talk about powerhouse of flavor and healing properties. Let's get clear, any smoothie packed with fresh foods is going to be healing. That's just how mother nature works. Give your body the right resources and it will heal itself. But what is so stand-out about these ingredients?

Beetroot

• improves circulation, cleanses the blood and vitalizes the liver
• moistens intestinal tract to promote bowel movements
•  promotes menstruation
•  alkalizing

Raspberries

• antioxidant-rich & anti-inflammatory
• reaps anti-inflammatory properties similar to that of aspirin and ibuprofen   

 Ginger

• warming effect on the body
• aids digestion, upset stomach, and intestinal bloating
• known to enhance the flow of saliva, relieving sore throat
• reduces nausea, used to treat motion sickness and morning sickness during pregnancy  

Beetroot Raspberry Smoothie makes 1 smoothie

ginger, lemon, almond milk

• 1 small beetroot, raw, peeled
• 3/4 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled
• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk + more for a thinner smoothie
• squeeze of lemon 

method

Combine all ingredients in a high power blender until smooth.  

Note; if your blender is not high powered, try lightly steaming the peeled beets before blending so that you can get a stellar consistency!

enjoy!

Spring Cleaning Breakthroughs + Chickpeas

I don't know about you, but when April rolls around, I start to get inspired by the longer days, the breakthroughs of sunshine, and the spirit of spring cleaning. Out with the old, in with what matters.

I just spent a weekend in Seattle at the Baptiste Art of Assisting program. A phenomenal training on hands-on assisting yoga postures, and the second of three courses that I need for my Baptiste Certification. The weekend was about integrity in alignment. Integrity in our yoga practice, in our assisting, and in our lives. What I love about about Baptiste yoga, is the boldly obvious correlation between how we show up on our mats and in our lives. One thing that showed up for me in assisting this weekend was me holding back because I was afraid that I didn't have something to offer that person. What I really got present to, is that, first off, I DO bring value to the table- in all arenas of my life, and that I'm doing my community a disservice my not sharing that. I also really got that my growth happens when I dive in regardless of how comfortable I feel. There's this saying that Baron has,

The question is not, 'will I survive if I step out of my comfort zone?', it's 'will I survive my comfort zone?'

Every time I've been nervous to do something, and did it anyway, I've experienced a breakthrough. A breakthrough in my confidence, in speaking my truth, in my full self expression, in my relationships. The list goes on.

Spring cleaning is about much more than the dark corners of our homes, it's about the dark corners of our lives! What have you been putting off? What's piling up without attention? Where do you want to experience new freedom? What do you need to clean up- are there conversations you need to have?

The turning in the seasons is a great time to check in with yourself. Are you where you want to be? If not, what's lacking? Usually there is a lack of integrity somewhere. For me, lately, there's been a lack of integrity in my own self care. In taking the time to cook healthy meals. I've been using "busy" as an excuse to grab food at the Co Op for a quick fix. What I really needed to address though, is that I'm not taking the time to care for myself in one of the most basic ways- nourishment. I want to share with you today, a recipe that I'm coming back to for a quick, easily packable, nourishing meal. I present to you, Chickpeas & Greens!

This recipe was adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day. And what a gem this recipe is. I like to soak chickpeas on the weekend, then cook them the next day so I have a fresh batch for various salads of recipes throughout the week. This recipe requires cooked chickpeas, I recommend soaking your own- in such a simple recipe, the quality of ingredients really takes precedence- but canned also work.

Chickpeas & Greens serves 4

lemon zest, red chili flakes, olive oil

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8-1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes
• 3 large handfuls spinach, kale, chard, or another green of your choice
•  2 cups cooked chickpeas
• zest of 1 lemon
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

Combine olive oil, garlic, and chili in a cold frying pan. Turn the heat up to medium and let the garlic and chili begin to sizzle and infuse the olive oil. Saute until just golden, careful not to burn the garlic.

Add greens, saute and turn until slightly reduced, and bright green. Remove the pan from heat, add chickpeas and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.


This salad keeps great in the fridge for a couple days. I love to serve in over quinoa, or stuffed into an Ezekial tortilla for a tasty wrap.

enjoy!

Curried Green Lentil Soup with Browned Butter

Fall in Upper Left, USA has been absolutely gorgeous this year. We've been blessed with picturesque fog in the place of our characteristic drizzle. The sun continues to shine even as frost debuts over our front lawn in the morning.

Fall in the Northwest means, to me, bundling up with multiple scarves, putting pumpkin and maple in everything, cozy evenings indoors, and TONS of thick, hearty soup!

This gem comes to you as an adaptation from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day cookbook. I absolutely love her take on whole food cooking. She makes great use of legumes, all kinds of vegetables, eggs, goat's cheese, nuts, and a wide variety of herbs and spices. This book is definitely one to check out, or gift to your favorite foodie this holiday season.

This recipe perfectly marries green lentils, coconut milk, spicy Indian curry, and browned butter for a meal that is nourishing, warming, and satisfying on all counts.

The best part is that you probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already. If you're anything like me, that's a huge selling point in getting me to test a new recipe.

Curried Green Lentil Soup with Browned Butter serves 4-6

green lentils, curry powder, coconut milk, chives

 

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, ghee, or coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups green lentils, picked over, rinsed
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp Indian curry powder
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• fine grain sea salt
• 1 bunch chives, chopped

Method

Combine 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sit frequently until onions soften, a couple minutes. Add vegetable broth and lentils, cover and simmer until lentils are soft, about 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and let it brown. When it begins to smell fragrant and nutty, stir in curry powder and saute until the spices become fragrant, less than a minute.

When the lentils have finished cooking, remove from heat, stir in coconut milk and 1/4 tsp sea salt, and puree using an immersion blender, leaving a bit of texture. Stir in half of the browned butter, taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve drizzled with remaining browned butter and a heavy hand of chives.

Enjoy!

Green Curry Tofu over Sweet Potato Noodles

Mmm.. easy eats have been my thing lately. Nourishing, warm, simple meals that involve as few dishes to clean as possible.

Recently in a pinch for dinner ideas, I came up with this beauty.

This particular recipe is hardly a recipe.. more like a mash up of favorites that come together for an unbelievably simple, delicious meal.

I used my mandolin to julienne sweet potatoes into noodles, which I then blanched so that they were just cooked. All the while, fresh tofu was simmering in coconut milk and green curry paste. I topped it with a heavy hand of cilantro and cashews for good measure.

Comfort food at it's finest if you ask me.

 

Green Curry Tofu over Sweet Potato Noodles serves 4

sweet potato, green curry paste, coconut milk, cilantro

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 cans lite coconut milk *see note
• 2 Tbsp green curry paste 
• 14 oz firm tofu, sliced into 1-inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce 
• 1/3 cup cashews, toasted
• 1 small bunch cilantro

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, use a mandolin to julienne slice the sweet potato into 1/4-inch thick noodles, set aside.

In a large saucepan, stir together coconut milk and green curry paste, bring to a boil, add tofu to the pan, cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and finish with fish sauce.

Once the water has come to a boil, add sweet potato noodles. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked, then remove from pot, drain water, and separate the noodles into 4 bowls. Divide green curry and tofu into each bowl, top with cashews and cilantro. Enjoy!

* note: I usually opt for full fat coconut milk, but in this case, a slightly less rich base is more desirable. 

 

Buddha Bowl

Buddha Bowls.

Because I can't exist solely on vegan green tea cookies, ice cream, and veggie pizza. I think this goes without saying but I've had a pretty great couple of days off. I introduced a new friend to the world of Baptiste power vinyasa yoga at Shakti, down in Ballard. Prior to this, there were macchiatos and baked goods at Vivace. Because what fuels you better for yoga than a macchiato and a vegan mint chocolate chip cookie? And after a hot sweaty vinyasa practice, gelato at Fainting Goat seemed appropriate.

The next day, I went out for lunch in La Conner. On the way home I just so happened to drive past Snow Goose Produce, famous for their 'immodest ice cream cones'. Immodest indeed.

A cone from my last trip to Snow Goose last year

For the record, I loved every minute of this weekend. Indulgence is something I learned to give myself in moderation. After my weight loss five years ago, I went through a year or two where I was still very restrictive in the foods I would eat. I ate very strictly clean, every 3 hours. It was what I needed to give myself the peace of mind that I could maintain my new weight. But it was too far for me. It began to drive me crazy, it isolated me; I remember it was my best friend's graduation night and I went out to dinner with her family and our friends and I literally didn't eat a thing because there wasn't anything on the menu that I felt I could eat. I sat and talked with everyone, drinking my water the whole night. By the end of it I started to get a little loopy, 6 hours later without any nourishment.. too much.

A confrontation from a dear friend finally made me see the bigger picture. I was staying in my size 4 jeans, but at what cost? It cost me my happiness, my relationships, I put up walls with people and would say, "they don't understand". I didn't understand, I didn't see that this wasn't a sustainable way of living.

I started slowly adding things back into my diet that I loved. A little goat cheese in my omelette, sprouted whole grain bread, a teaspoon of ghee on my porridge, spelt flour pancakes. My focus was, and remains, to eat whole foods, as close to their natural form as possible. For me, that looks like a mostly plant based diet, though I do eat meat on occasion, dairy, and whole grain breads. It is in this way that I don't have to think too hard about my eating choices. I stay within the loose boundaries of my whole foods diet, and I vary the things that I eat. I'm not having pancakes every day, and I'm also not eating steamed vegetables and lean protein for every meal. Every single day is a balance, as is every week. A balance that takes into account my physical activity, my work schedule (if I'm working crazy hours, sometimes it's easiest to cook up a pot of chickpeas at the beginning of the week and toss them into salads with an assortment of vegetables, avocado, seeds and some kind of homemade dressing--because that's what's fast and nourishing in the moment), and my cravings.

Cravings are an interesting thing. I believe that our cravings are rooted from a deeper need in our body. Say you're craving pizza, perhaps what your body really wants is fast energy, like the quick digesting carbohydrates found in pizza. I think it's important when we have a craving, not to ignore it-- in my experience, that leads to binging-- but rather to get to the root of it and give your body what it truly wants and needs to thrive. Then when you do indulge in something like pizza, you're doing it mindfully, it's not a reckless impulse decision, it's a choice that you make, and you're going to love every minute of it!

This new way of being means that I get to enjoy an evening out and not have to spend 20 minutes figuring out what the 'safest' low-calorie option on the menu is. This means that when my awesome co-worker brings in homemade lemon cupcakes with frosting I can enjoy one with everyone else. What's even cooler, is that this has expanded my culinary appreciation too. My traditional macchiatos are best with whole milk. The house dressing made with creme fraiche truly is out of this world, can I get that recipe?! I have such a deep appreciation for the art of good food, and I love trying new things, whether I know the chef's ingredient list for the special sauce or not!

 Why Buddha Bowl? It's great food like this that keeps me feeling nourished, energized, and fueled for my wildest adventures (like my 200-hr yoga teacher training that starts Sept. 6!!) This is easiest to make if you have leftover quinoa and cooked chickpeas on hand. I personally love and can taste the difference between fresh cooked chickpeas and canned, but in a pinch, feel free to substitute with canned legumes.

There are are four elements in this Buddha Bowl; grilled asparagus, and chickpeas sit atop a bed of quinoa, and are then drizzled with a tahini dressing and toasted seeds. B-b-b-bomb. That's right, complex carbohydrates, complete protein from quinoa and chickpeas, a serving a greens (thanks asparagus) and healthy fats from toasted seeds and tahini. Got all your bases covered with this one!

Buddha Bowl serves 1

quinoa, chickpeas, grilled asparagus, tahini dressing

• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• pinch each chili powder and sea salt
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 Tbsp seeds such as sesame, sunflower, pumpkin or slivered almonds
• 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 5 spears asparagus
• 2/3 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
• Optional: additional chili powder for serving

Method

In a small bowl, whisk tahini, water, lemon juice, chili powder, sea salt and honey. Set aside.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add seeds, stirring frequently so as not to burn, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Roughly chop asparagus and add to the pan along with cooking oil. Cook, stirring every once in a while until cooked through and beginning to crisp on the outside. Remove from heat and set aside.

Layer into a bowl, quinoa, chickpeas and asparagus. Drizzle with dressing, top with toasted seeds and additional chili powder.

Enjoy this good mood food! I'd love to hear what foods keep you feeling balanced and energized.

Until next time,

Eat well!

Back in the Pacific Northwest + Kale Coconut Salad

Long time no see!

After a week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a beautiful weekend in Toronto, I flew back home to Seattle last week. I had the intention of taking a few weeks to cool down and readjust to life in the Pacific Northwest but that didn't quite go as planned.

I hit the ground running, started training and teaching again at the Studio, worked a 40 hour week in the world of retail and stretchy pants, bought a car which I've successfully put about a thousand miles on in less than a week. There's been nothing slow about this transition, and oddly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I jumped feet first into all of the things that I want and that I'm committed to having in my life, in the way of great relationships, work, play, how I would ideally choose to spend my time. I'm loving every minute of it, and that's a powerful feeling to come back with.

Spring is, after all, a season of transition, change, beauty, and fun. I've kind of been spring cleaning my life.

From the inside out, mind you! As soon as I got home I had all of this inspiration to recreate recipes that I had been using at Azul Fit. The past week has been filled with trials of new recipes, old mastered and adapted ones. What I have for you today is one of the latter. This Kale Coconut Salad is adapted from Heidi Swanson's cookbook, Super Natural Every Day, which by the way is full of creative vegetarian whole-food dishes. Her original recipe is for a warm salad, in which she roasts the coconut and kale in the oven to toast the coconut and wilt the kale. My favorite way to enjoy this salad is cold, massaging the kale in the marinade, but keeping it raw. It lightens up this rich salad and gives a refreshing contrast to the cooked farro and toasted coconut.

As far as salads go, this is definitely a rich and filling one. Large flakes of coconut pair perfectly with  a blend of sesame oil and tamari. Sturdy kale, served raw makes this feel like a perfect transitional salad from cold winter months to spring. And farro, a grain low in gluten, gives this salad more sustenance as an entree, with more protein and fiber than traditional wheat. Though it can easily be omitted or substituted with wheat berries, spelt berries, or brown rice.

Onto this salad!

Kale Coconut Salad serves 6-8 as a side, 4-6 as an entree

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 bunch of kale (about 3 cups chopped)
1.5 cups unsweetened large-flake coconut
2 cups cooked farro (or another whole grain of your choice)

Method

In a small jar, combine olive oil, toasted sesame oil, and tamari, shake to combine, set aside.

Heat a small pan over medium heat, once hot, add coconut and toast, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning. This will take a few minutes, once done, set aside and allow it to cool.

Remove the large ribs from your kale leaves and roughly chop. Combine in a large mixing bowl with cooked farro. Lightly massage with your hands so that the dressing fully coats the leaves and grain. Fold in toasted coconut, and serve immediately.

note: this salad will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days and the kale will soften, but after that the kale and coconut will get too soft.

For a more substantial meal, add serve with pan seared tofu, or stuff into an Ezekiel tortilla for a hearty wrap. When I make a salad like this, I'll make extra and pack it for lunches in various ways throughout the week. This is a great way to add more green to your life, and feel energized all day.

Enjoy!

Manuel's Super Vegan Cake

 I can't take credit for this recipe. I really wish I could because it's absolutely brilliant, but all thanks here goes to my great friend Manuel Molina whom I've been sharing a kitchen with (both at work and home) for the past three months. Manuel is a talented vegan chef in his own right and also teaches Ashtanga yoga here at Villa Azul. His classes are donation based and all proceeds go to White Ocean Project, an effort to raise money for underprivileged people in India suffering from skin problems such as high degree burns and leprosy. It's a great friend of his, Justi, who spends her time in India working directly with people, and Manuel runs a blog that keeps up on their efforts. Their work is truly amazing, read more about how they're changing lives on his blog, The Ocean of White.

We have celebrated a few birthdays at the Villa since I've been around, for one of the first ones, Manuel told me he had this really nice cake that he could make. He called it Super Vegan Cake, so I knew it had to be good. The ingredients alone tell you that it's going to be loaded with goodness; shredded carrot, coconut, raw sugar, and my favorite, turmeric, for it's beautiful yellow hue.

Since that first birthday, I've been topping this cake with a vegan chocolate ganache made simply from coconut milk and dark chocolate. There's something about moist yellow cake and chocolate frosting that just screams 'Happy Birthday!!' at me. Here we've subbed full fat coconut milk in for heavy cream for a rich dairy-free alternative to traditional ganache. This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal if you share your life with chocolate lovers. Not a single birthday has gone by where guests at the retreat aren't in awe of this Super Vegan Cake.

The many faces this cake has taken on in the past few months.

The original recipe used a whole meal flour. Something mild like whole wheat pastry flour would be fantastic if you're not gluten intolerant. For a while we made the cake with straight rice flour to cater to our gluten-free guests, but after a little trial and error, we've found that a combination of rice flour and oat flour (certified gluten-free oats optional) is the way to go. It results in a lighter version, yet still holds enough moisture. Shredded carrots and desiccated coconut create a truly pleasing texture. The cake itself is not overly sweet, so the chocolate ganache is especially lovely to create contrast both tastewise and visually. There really aren't enough wonderful words to describe this cake.

Alright to recap the benefits of this cake, in case my rambling confused you. Dark chocolate and cake will do that to a girl.

• Chock full of shredded carrot and coconut
• Gluten-free
• It's the color of sunshine (thank you turmeric)
• Coconut dark chocolate ganache? Sold.
• Moist, filling, but it wont weigh you down

There's no denying it, this cake kills it as far as cake goes. And if you're eating cake, it may as well be a delicious, nutrient dense cake made with love and intention. It's great for a special occasion, celebration of any kind, and the perfect way to bring a little sunshine into your life.

Happy Easter and Spring my friends!

Super Vegan Cake with Coconut Milk Dark Chocolate Ganache  makes one 8" cake

Cake ingredients

• 100 g rice flour
• 100 g rolled oats ground to flour (certified gluten-free oats such as Bob's Red Mill optional)
• 150 g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 130 g raw cane sugar or coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 package/7.5 g dry yeast 
• 1.5 tsp turmeric
  
• 150 g shredded carrot
• 110 g sunflower or coconut oil
• 150 g unsweetened soy milk
• 3 Tbsp corn starch dissolved in 6 Tbsp filtered water

Ganache Ingredients

• 6 oz dark chocolate from your favorite bar
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk  

Method

Preheat the oven to 340 F/170 C, lightly grease an 8" cake pnn.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake ingredients, rice flour, oat flour, coconut, sugar, and yeast, mix well. In a separate mixing bowl, dissolve corn starch in water, add shredded carrot, oil, and soy milk to create a homogenous mixture. Add wet to dry and mix until no white streaks of flour remain.

The batter will be thick, pour it into your greased cake pan and smooth out the surface so that it's evenly distributed. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Meanwhile, start your ganache by finely chopping your dark chocolate, transfer to a medium bowl. Shake up your can of coconut milk to combine the thick cream that rests on top and the liquid. Heat 1/2 cup to a slow boil over medium-high heat. 

Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate, whisk until chocolate is melted and fully incorporated. Keep at room temperature.

When your cake is done, allow it to cool and set for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to another plate and pour ganache into the middle of your cake. Spread out the the edges in a circular motion. You may have a little ganache leftover but who's complained about that ever? Keep in mind that as it cools, the ganache will thicken and harden slightly.

"Life is uncertain, eat dessert first"

-Ernestine Ulmer

Welcome Spring! +Quinoa Tabbouleh

Spring has officially sprung. Days are getting longer, the air is fresh and balmy, there's a universal optimism as things warm up in preparation for summer.

I've been thinking about renting a bike on this island for some time now. My back is feeling so much better, and I'm in search of a low impact form of exercise, as well as a new way to explore this gorgeous place. I was telling Jo of my plans and she offered to lend me her bike for some time, and even gave me some ideas for trails to ride. So this morning it was just me and mi bici loose on the island. Watch out Fuerte!

Mi bici, in front of Villa Azul

 I rode up to the corner of our village, Villaverde, toward Montaña La Arena, one of the many volcanoes in our area (also the volcano that my street is named after). It was a gorgeous ride through Villaverde, the land gets less concentrated with houses, more concentrated with farm land, goats, and la molinos, or wind mills.

La molinos on the left and right

Montaña La Arena

I had an idea for where I was going, but not a clear one. Villaverde is small, I figured worst case scenario I get a lost and hitch a ride back to the Villa with a studly surfer.

Unfortunately luckily it didn't come to that. I made my way up the volcano, stopping at a little outpost, pictured below, to take in the view and read in the sun. While there, I ran into a lovely Belgium couple who asked me to give my regards to President Obama!

Looking toward the northwest shore, you can see the village of Lajares.

Looking toward the north shore. You can see little Lobos Island, and further in the distance Lanzarote.

I worked my way down the volcano-- what I trip that was, first time I've seriously been mountain biking. Hands on the brakes most of the way, letting go every once in a while, wind streaming through my hair, gliding along the trail, I made my way through the malpaís, or backcountry, through developing neighborhoods in the northwest corner of Villaverde, and eventually back home.

Serious biking down this mountain.

Houses being built in the village

 All I could think about as I got close to the house was the quinoa tabbouleh that was waiting for me in the fridge. 

Yesss. Even better the next day after the flavors have some time to mingle, this dish is the epitome of fresh.

Tabbouleh, reigning from the Middle East, traditionally made with bulgur, ample amounts of fresh parsley, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil, tossed with juicy tomato and cucumber. While I love bulgur, I wanted a lighter option that packed a little more protein. Containing all essential amino acids, quinoa is considered to be a complete protein, and is often touted as a super food for it's high nutrient density per ounce. It is also a great source of calcium, magnesium, and iron-- nutrients that those of us who don't often consume red meat can become deficient in.

This tabbouleh is crazy simple to make, lasts for a few days in the fridge so you can make a batch, and pack it for lunches throughout the week, have a middle eastern dinner party and serve it alongside falafel, flatbread, hummus, babba ghanouj, dolmas, and mixed olives from your favorite antipasto bar. It also keeps well at room temperature and is great to pack along for a picnic or one of those long Spring bike rides.

What will elevate this recipe is a TON of fresh herbs; a large bunch of parsley, small bunch of mint, and green onion. Parsley really is the star of this salad rather than quinoa. In fact, if I had more parsley on hand, I would have added more. The greener this salad is, the better.

Quinoa Tabbouleh serves 4-6

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1.75 cups filtered water
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 large bunch fresh parsley, about 1 cup minced and packed
• 1 small bunch mint leaves, about 1/8 cup minced and packed
• 3 scallions, about 4 Tbsp minced and packed
• 2 ripe tomatoes (if you can't find ripe tomatoes, use red bell pepper)
• 1 cucumber
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• black pepper and sea salt to taste

Method    

Combine quinoa, filtered water, and sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, keep covered and remove from heat, let it rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Deseed tomatoes and cucumber and chop, set aside.

Finely mince parsley, mint, and scallions, set aside. Some recipes use a food processor instead of mincing the herbs by hand, I highly advise against this. It creates more liquid in your salad, causes it to go rancid faster, and you end up with something more green soup-esque than tabbouleh.

Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice.

Into a large mixing bowl, add quinoa and fresh herbs, mix to combine. Then mix in tomato and cucumber, finally toss with olive oil+lemon juice dressing.

Season with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. It will taste good now, but it will taste better in a few hours after the flavors mingle, so go on a walk or a bike ride, come back and enjoy some tabbouleh!