Buckwheat Tabbouleh

Israeli Night-Chipotle Hummus, Buckwheat Tabbouleh, & Israeli Salad

Tabbouleh is a traditional, cold Middle Eastern Salad made with bulgar wheat. Since that’s out of the picture for me and my gluten issues (sigh) I make this now with either quinoa or buckwheat. Both are great substitutions. I love serving it alongside of my chipotle hummus, falafel, and Israeli salad (combo of cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, and some salt/pepper).

Contrary to what it sounds like, buckwheat is not wheat. It comes from the seed of a plant closely related to both sorrel (a green leafed plant that tastes like lemon) and rhubarb, which also has a lemony taste. So….buckwheat is grain free, just like quinoa! It’s found in many European dishes, often in its roasted form, kasha. Kasha has a nuttier and more robust flavor than in its raw form. When raw, it’s called a groat. A groat, while weird to say, is the whole form of the food, just like the whole form of oats are called oat groats.  For a salad like this, or used as a breakfast replacement to oatmeal, I prefer the raw form. I like using it in this salad, because it provides more of a chewy texture than quinoa does. It’s more like barley in this manner, and I think it adds a heartiness to the dish.

Buckwheat is a great food to add into your diet. It’s full of magnaese, magnesium, fiber, and protein. Magnesium is very helpful in terms of blood pressure regulation and healing. Buckwheat has been found to lower blood pressure, prevent blood sugar spikes, and lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It’s also a different way to include whole grains into your diet, which has been linked to lowering the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It’s recommended to get at least 6 servings per week of whole grains. For more information on buckwheat, click here.

This dish is even more healthy than the standard tabbouleh. Usually, there’s added oil in this dish. I omitted it, adding in fresh lemon juice and zest to boost up the flavor. I try to omit oil from dishes as much as possibly. Why? Oil is pure fat. There’s nothing beneficial about it. I’d rather eat fat from sources that give me protein and vitamins. So-see ya’ olive oil. You are not needed here. Trust me, it won’t be missing. The freshness of the dill, tomatoes, and cucumbers add in tons of flavor. As another idea, add in some fresh asparagus. We have a ton right now from the garden and it’s sweet and crunchy, as was a perfect addition to this!

If you need to purchase gluten free certified buckwheat, Bob’s Red Mill sells-Organic Buckwheat Groats otherwise, get it in bulk at your local food co-op. This dish comes together in under 20 minutes, and is perfect to take to your next BBQ.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw buckwheat groats (or could use 1 cup quinoa, soaked for 4 hours and drained before cooking)
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (zest it first)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup minced red onion or 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 1 cup diced heirloom tomatoes
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 1/2-2 tbsp fresh dill, or 1 1/2 tsp dried (fresh is SOOO much better)
• dash cayenne
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (or could do toasted pine nuts)
• salt & pepper to tasteInstructions:

1. Place a pot filled with about 2 quarts of water, a pinch of salt, and buckwheat in a pan and bring to boil. Reduce and simmer for 12 minutes (or until grains are soft but not mushy). Drain and let cool
2. Add in remainder of ingredients. Salt and peppers to taste. If not serving right away, add pumpkin seeds or pine nuts right before, so that they keep their crunch. 
3. Serve with falafel, chipotle hummus, or any number of dishes!
   

   Falafel Salad Topped With Lentils and Tahini

Nutritional Benefits:

• Good source of fiber, 5 g, important for digestive health, regulating blood sugar, decreasing risks of many forms of cancer, increasing satiety, lowering blood pressure and risk of diabetes
• Good source of plant-based protein, 6 g, great for healing and repairing the body
• Cholesterol and oil free: great for heart health and reducing risk of heart disease
• Low glycemic, perfect for controlling or preventing diabetes
• Gluten Free and plant-based, great for re
• 53% Vitamin A, important for skin, eye, bone, dental health, is an antioxidant and decreases inflammation in the body
• 20% Vitamin C, great antioxidant for boosting immunity
• 13% iron, important for oxygenation of blood and plant-based sources are better regulated in the body than animal sources.
• 325 mg of potassium, important for nervous and kidney function, as well as regulating blood pressure.

Tabbouleh Made With Buckwheat

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

32 mins

 

Buckwheat Tabbouleh-made with fresh dill, lemon, and cucumber. This salad is grain and oil free.

Author: www.gardenfreshfoodie.com

Recipe type: Side Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw buckwheat groats (or could use 1 cup quinoa, soaked for 4 hours and drained before cooking)
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (zest it first)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ¾ cup chopped parsley
• ¼ cup minced red onion or ½ cup chopped scallions
• 1 cup diced heirloom tomatoes
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1½-2 tbsp fresh dill, or 1½ tsp dried (fresh is SOOO much better)
• dash cayenne
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds (or could do toasted pine nuts)
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place a pot filled with about 2 quarts of water, a pinch of salt, and buckwheat in a pan and bring to boil. Reduce and simmer for 12 minutes (or until grains are soft but not mushy). Drain and let cool
2. Add in remainder of ingredients. Salt and peppers to taste. If not serving right away, add pumpkin seeds or pine nuts right before, so that they keep their crunch.
3. Serve with falafel, chipotle hummus, or any number of dishes!

Notes

53% Vitamin A, 20% Vitamin C, 13% iron, 4% Calcium, 325 mg of potassium

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ⅙ Calories: 134 Fat: 1.8 g Saturated fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 27.3 g Sugar: 2.5 g Fiber: 5.2 g Protein: 5.7 g Cholesterol: 0 mg

3.5.3208