Quinoa Tabbouleh

Quinoa, the superpower of grains, is back. It figures prominently in this tabbouleh, which uses fresh lemons and olive oil, with the addition of some green vegetables. If you'd like to be more traditional with your tabbouleh, use tomatoes and cucumbers instead of the edamame and green beans.

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup edamame
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths
1/4 cup scallions, sliced into 1/4 inch lengths
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
3 Tbs lemon juice
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Directions:

Bring stock to a boil. Rinse quinoa, then add to stock. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid, about 10 to 15 minutes. When done, the quinoa will appear translucent. While the quinoa is cooking, place the edamame and green beans in a microwave safe container and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp tender. The edamame should still have some crunch, and the beans should be bright green. When the quinoa is cooked, mix it together with the cooked vegetables, then add the scallions, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss to mix, then refrigerate until cool. Taste before serving and add more salt, if needed.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: This tabbouleh is a powerhouse. Quinoa is very high in protein, as is edamame. Edamame are fresh soybeans, and can be found in many markets in either the frozen food section or the refrigerated section next to the fresh produce. Together, this grain and bean provide enough protein to make this dish a great source of protein for vegetarians. This dish also supplies a valuable amount of fiber, another hallmark of healthful eating. So good for you, and good too!