Peruvian Yam and Quinoa Tabbouleh
Peruvian yam and quinoa tabbouleh
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Healthful, colorful, flavorful! An easy way to keep your 2016 resolution!
Serves 4-6
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup white quinoa (toast in a dry pan first, just until brown spots appear – this gives a delicious nutty flavor!)
2 cups peeled, diced, roasted yam, yellow, red purple or orange, or some of each color (toss small cubes with a tiny bit of olive or avocado oil and roast @400 ~15 minutes, just until done. You’ll want to shop for about 3lbs of yams)
2 green onions, sliced thin, both green and white parts
1/4 cup small diced red bell pepper (raw)
1/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper (raw)
1/4 cup diced red cabbage (raw)
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
2-3 Tbsps. diced red onion
1 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1/4 cup mint leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2-3 Tbsps. fresh lime juice
2-3 Tbsps. olive or avocado oil
1-3 Tbsps dried ground Aji chile (can be found at any good spice shop, and at any Hispanic chain grocery store, such as Su Casa or Becerras)
1-3 tsps. kosher salt
A few grinds of fresh black pepper
*Optional – diced avocado, diced Asian pear, sliced arugula, oven-dried tomatoes
In a medium, heat-proof glass bowl, have the toasted quinoa.
Pour the boiling (and this is really important – boiling! ) water over the quinoa, give it a quick stir and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Leave the plastic wrap on until it becomes concave (when it curves back down towards the bowl, the water will be absorbed and the quinoa will be cooked).
Remove the plastic wrap and fluff quinoa with a fork. If it is still steaming, allow it to cool a bit more.
Once cool, add remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss gently.
Serve within the hour, or mix without any of the fresh herbs and chill until ready to serve.
This bright salad is delicious cold, hot, or in between, and will make your mouth, tummy and body happy with it’s rainbow hues and poppin’-crunch flavors.
Vegan, Gluten-Free