Israeli Couscous - Red Bean Tabouli

Israeli couscous mix - cook and cool a bit

½c small red beans, cooked - or - a can of beans

zest if 1 large lemon

¼c fresh lemon juice

¼-½ extra virgin olive oil

1 lg. clove of garlic - minced

½ lg. purple onion - diced

1t Rosemary Seasoning *

½t ground black pepper

¼t cayenne pepper

3 Roma tomatoes - diced

3 mini English cucumbers - diced

⅔ bunch of fresh cilantro - sliced

1-2 medium carrots - scrubbed-grated

I've said it before and it's still true.  I've never met a Tabouli I didn't like!  I've used bulgar wheat, the main ingredient in Molly Katzen's Tabouli in The Moosewood Cookbook - my first Tabouli adventure in the '70's!  I've also tried jasmine rice, a hearty wild rice blend, farrow, kamut, but I think Quinoa Tabouli still gets my #1 vote - AND it's gluten-free!  I've also made it with just beans.  Two cans of garbanzos, one chopped, one whole, using no grains.  This Israeli Couscous mix was calling to me though and I like how it turned out.

Combine the lemon zest and the ingredients in that group, in a large glass bowl.  Add the couscous and the drained, well-rinsed beans.  If using canned, rinse and drain well before adding.  Gently stir all this together and let it 'marinate' while you finish chopping and grating.  Add the fresh vegetables, gently mixing well.  If you're not a cilantro fan, use a bunch of fresh parsley, curly or the flat Italian variety.  Serve with crumbled Gorgonzala cheese.  Mmmm - Fresh Tabouli - Tastes like Summer! . .Lin

Black Bean Quinoa Tabouli

1c quinoa

2c filtered water

2-3T Tuscan olive oil
2oz. rinse-drained capers

4 lg. green onions - sliced
2 lg. cloves garlic - minced
1 frozen lemon or lime - grated
½-1c chopped kalamata olives

1 lg. tomato - diced

1 15oz. can black beans

1 bunch cilantro - chopped

This is such a special salad to me.  I originally discovered it in Mollie Katzen's "Moosewood Cookbook" and have made numerous variations of it over the years.  This '70's hippie cookbook of hers will always have a place of honor on my cookbook shelf!

Simmer the quinoa gently for about 20 minutes.  When tails have sprouted and water is absorbed, combine the quinoa with the second group of ingredients, in a large glass or porcelain bowl.  Stir gently, then let stand while prepping the third group.  Drain and rinse the black beans.  Add them, the diced tomato, cilantro (leaves and stems) to the bowl.  Next time I make it, I'll try a 3/1 ratio of quinoa to wild rice, red rice, or possibly 'forbidden' black rice for the base.


Have fun with your recipes!  Life is too short to cook boring food! . . . Lin