Alternative Grain Tabouli

Ingredients
½ cup quinoa
1 cup water
pinch of salt
1 tomato
1 cucumber
large bunch of parsley
Optional: several mint leaves, chopped finely




Dressing
Olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt, pepper




Rinse the quinoa well under running water. Roast in a pan to dry the grains, then add the required amount of water and salt. Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and let cook for 15 minutes.


Turn off the heat but leave the quinoa to sit in the pan for a further 5 minutes. Turn the cooked grains out into a non-metallic bowl. As the grains cool off chop the tomato, cucumber and parsley (and mint if using this). Combine the ingredients for the dressing.


When the quinoa is at room temperature add all of the remaining ingredients, including the dressing. Stir well to mix everything together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.


And that is it! Enjoy the simplicity of each taste!


Makes 3-4 servings.

Pinto Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, diced

1-2T olive oil or ghee butter

1/2t chili powder

1/2t cumin, preferably freshly ground

1 carrot, diced

1/2 yellow, orange or red pepper, diced

1/2 cup sweet potato, diced

1 tomato, diced

1/4 cup rice, rinsed

1 t salt

3 cups vegetable stock or water

1 cup cooked pinto beans

1/2 cup fresh yellow beans, sliced into 1/2" lengths

Fresh cilantro, chopped

t=teaspoon T=tablespoon

On medium heat, saute the onions and oil or butter in the soup pot. When the onions begin to soften, add the spices and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the vegetables: carrot, pepper, potato, tomato and rice and cook for a couple of minutes. This helps to let the flavor of the spices infuse into the vegetables. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for 10 minutes, then add the salt, pinto beans and yellow beans. Continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the rise is cooked. Add the cilantro at the last, or simply add to individual soup servings. This is the general format for soup. Why did I choose these vegetables? Mostly because they are the ones that I had on hand at home when making the soup! Use your own ingredients, and your own creativity.

Namaste,

Sydney