Quinoa Tabbouleh

I love the flavors of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods, but they can seem a little scary to make yourself. However, I have been craving them lately, so I felt I had no choice. I started with Chicken Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce and decided to go a little wild and make Tabbouleh. I used quinoa because I wanted it to be a complete meal, plus the health factor of this meal can't be denied. Because the parsley can be a little overwhelming, I thought incorporating into the dressing would make the salad a bit easier to eat, and I think it did just that. The flavors are great and you will feel good after eating it.

4 whole wheat pitas
4 cups cooked quinoa (about 1-1/2 cups uncooked), I used red quinoa
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
A bunch of flat leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs white vinegar
1 tbs lemon juice
1 clove garlic

Place cooled, cooked quinoa in a large bowl with tomato, cucumber, and onion. Chop a small handful of parsley and stir into quinoa. In a food processor or blender, add oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and another small handful of parsley and blend until smooth. Stir into the quinoa. You will need all the dressing because the quinoa soaks it up.

Heat a few pitas and top with the tabbouleh.