Gluten-free Tabbouleh; Meatless Monday

I was introduced to Tabbouleh during my stay in the Middle East. It is a staple in their diet. It is a refreshing salad.It is usually made with parsley & Bulgar wheat. Some add mint to this salad while others don't. I had a big bunch of fresh parsley from the rooftop garden at my work.

I decided to make Tabbouleh. But, I, as a rule, avoid gluten. I therefore decided to modify this salad and make it gluten-free. Instead  of Bulgar wheat, I used cauliflower! Yes, believe it or not, cauliflower!! It came out delicious!

My husband loved it and so did all my colleagues at work. You must try it. I used this recipe as the base and made my gluten-free substitutions.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients :

Cauliflower florets: 2 cups
Flat leaf parsley: 1 big bunch
Tomatoes: 2 medium-sized, diced big.
Cucumber: 2 medium, deseeded and diced. I used Persian cucumber.
Onion: 1 small, diced fine.
Lemon juice: 1/4 cup
Lemon zest: 1 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil: 1/4 cup
Salt: as per taste
Freshly ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash the cauliflower florets and dry them using a paper towel. Using a food processor, shred them until they look like tiny grain of broken wheat. Take the shredded cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl. Cook it in the microwave for 1-2 mins. Keep aside.

Take the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper in a little jar . Close the lid of the jar and shake well. Keep aside.

Wash the parsley thoroughly. Air dry it. Separate the leaves from the stems and keep aside. Using a sharp knife, chop the leaves as finely as you can. Do not use the food processor for this step ( I used it for part of the leaves and was not happy with the result! I was being lazy!:()

Take the chopped parsley in a bowl. To it, add the chopped tomatoes, onion and cucumbers. Mix well.

You can either mix in the shredded cauliflower and then mix in the dressing or you could arrange the parsley mixture as the base, place the shredded cauliflower in the center and drizzle the dressing on top. I prefer the former as the flavors of the dressing and the parsley blend nicely into the cauliflower transforming it into one flavorful dish!

It tastes even better the next day!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

One of the best way to clean herbs is to soak them in water that has a few drops of vinegar in it. Remove the leaves and spread it on paper towels or dish cloth and leave it there for sometime.

Tip for healthy living:

Parsley is a potent herb that has several health benefits. It is rich in several vitamins like Vitamin C, B12, K & A. It is supposed to support the immune system. It is even purported to have anti-cancer properties. In the middle eastern countries it is believed to be an aphrodisiac.

Food for thought:

Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. John D. Rockefeller