Tabbouleh with Pearl Couscous (Israeli Couscous)
(Serves 8) ~ Vegan, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, [Gluten-Free Option: swap Couscous for Quinoa] 

When I think of Tabbouleh I can’t help but think of the beautiful mint in this recipe! I love mint as soon as I smell mint it is so nostalgic for me. When my brother and I were little my mother use to walk us to school and occasionally we came across wild mint growing along the way. Mint that she would pick and make tea from. Maybe I would about 6 or 7 years old but it was such a simple little pleasure that I always reminisce about when I smell mint. 🙂 I sure did love that tea.
Tabbouleh is such a beautiful dish. Keeping with the Arabic theme I chose to make this recipe with Israeli Couscous (pearl couscous) instead of the traditional bulgur. If I’m being honest I’ve never been a fan of traditional couscous, mostly because of the texture. However, the texture of pearl couscous is a bit more pleasing to me. It tastes like little puffy balls that are nutty and delicate in flavor which seems to be more palatable for me. Josh of course described it as mini gnocchi balls – I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned before that he’s obsessed with gnocchi.
This attractive dish encompasses tri-color pearl couscous, mint, parsley and tomatoes to name a few of the ingredients. The couscous can be toasted if you’d like too. Before adding to the liquid you can lightly toast it in a pan until golden brown, similar to toasting pine nuts. Alternatively, the couscous can be swapped altogether for quinoa to make a gluten-free version of this dish. The parsley, mint and lemon in this dish are so refreshing and the colors in this salad make for an appealing salad, side or entrée. Enjoy!

Mint and mommy – xoxo!

Ingredients:
2 Cups Pearl Couscous (Israeli Couscous)
2 ½ Cups Water
1 Bunch of Curly Parsley, chopped
¼ Cup Fresh Mint (about 50 leaves), chopped
4 Scallions (white/light green parts), chopped
½ Pint of Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half (about 20-25)
2 Lemons (juice of both lemons and zest of 1)
½ Tbsp Garlic, minced
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tbsp Capers, optional

Parsley is so good for you!


Directions:
-In a sauce pan bring water to boil. Add the Pearl Couscous then bring back to boil. Stir together, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes until all the liquid has absorbed. (You can swap liquid for vegetable broth too if you’d like).

-Combine remaining ingredients and toss together. I used a fork as the couscous can tend to be a bit sticky. Using the fork helped fluff and combine the ingredients best.

-Refrigerate until chilled or overnight to serve cold. You can also enjoy this dish warm.

Enjoy!