The Simple Life at Home

Today I bring you a side dish some of you have probably tried and some of you may have been too scared to try - tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is a traditional Arabic salad made with cracked wheat (burgul), parsley and tomatoes. I put a lot more into mine just to make it more fancy, but we'll get to that. In the Middle East you'll find tabbouleh that is almost all parsley and just a scant amount of burgul - not here. Mine is usually about 3/4 burgul and 1/4 parsley. Just a personal preference, I suppose.

This dish is just a health bonanza! Tons of fiber in the burgul, lots of veggies and heart-healthy olive oil. It make take a few bites to get into it, but once you give it a shot I bet you'll love it!!

And when I say "finely chopped" I mean REALLY finely chopped. Ok?

• 1 cup burgul (can usually be found in the same aisle as flour and corn meal)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mint (if you can't get fresh, you can use dried but fresh is better)
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 cup small diced cucumber
• 2 scallions, sliced fine (include greens)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the burgul in warm water for about 30 minutes. Probably 2-3 cups worth. Alot of it will be absorbed, but drain off whatever is left after the 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix it well. If you would like it a little more moist, you can add either more lemon juice or more olive oil, to taste. Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to develop. Yum!!!

For more great side dish ideas, be sure to visit Overwhelmed With Joy!