Dr. Mona’s Authentic Tabouli
By Dr. Mona Fahoum
Tabouli is a family classic in my house, straight from my Mediterranean roots, and with summer in full swing, this antioxidant-packed salad can be especially delicious on a hot day. Traditional tabouli is all curly parsley and a bit of bulgur, the opposite of what you often get at the deli, which is usually all bulgur with a sprinkle of curly parsley. I sometimes substitute green curly kale if I want to make a big batch since that will last longer, and not get as soggy as parsley after a day or two.
Parsley is a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants, as well as folate, vitamins K, C, and A. The types of flavonoids in parsley are lutein, lycopene, carotenes, and zeaxanthin – all known to be great antioxidants for eye health and the immune system. If you use kale the power of this is multiplied with the addition of magnesium, calcium, and iron among other trace minerals.
Recipe
Dr. Mona’s Authentic Tabouli
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
1/2 cup extra fine bulgur wheat — or if gluten-free, 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
4 bunches curly parsley, about 4 cups chopped
1-2 vine-ripe firm tomatoes, diced finely
2 green onions, both green and white part, chopped finely
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
You can scale this up as needed, but it will make a salad for 4 as written. A food processor works best for the curly parsley, so it is chopped into tiny pieces. You will want to wash the parsley very well, unless you like sandy grit in your salad, I don’t recommend it! Place the bulgur wheat in 2 cups of warm water for 20 minutes. While the bulgur soaks, chop the curly parsley (or kale but choose a firmer green), tomatoes, onions, and mint - combine in a bowl. Combine and mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and pomegranate molasses, and pour over the veggies. Squeeze handfuls of the bulgur in your hand to remove excess water and put in the salad. Salt and pepper to taste.
Discuss more options for healthy summer foods with Dr. Mona in person.