Freekeh Tabouleh

“Mea Culpa” or, as we say in the South, “I’m sorry y’all!” I’ve been missing in action for a while and haven’t posted a recipe in a few weeks. We helped our son pack and move out-of-state and generally, life sometimes just gets in the way. Not that I wasn’t thinking of you guys. I really, really was!

A girl still has to eat , even when said girl isn’t sharing those recipes right away. Trust and believe, some seriously good food has been happening up in my kitchen.

I’ve been on a bit of a Mediterranean kick lately. And, let’s face it, Mediterranean deli fare gets a bit pricey! So, if I wanted to eat it, I had to make it. For today’s recipe, I’m getting my freak on with Freekeh Tabouleh!

Bright!

Lemony!

Deliciousness!

That’s what Freekeh Tabouleh brings to the table.

Every great plant-powered dish should start with fresh, local produce when possible. My tomatoes were grown within 30 miles from my home. I picked them up from my local farmer’s market, the NC State Farmers Market. If you get the chance, be sure to check out your local farmer’s market for fresh, local produce.

I found my organic parsley at Whole Foods, but it was grown in the beautiful NC mountains. Shout out to New Sprout Organic Farms for keeping it clean and real!  And, I’m loving me some sweet, Johnston County North Carolina Cherry Tomatoes.

I used this brand of freekeh, which I purchased from Whole Foods. But, you can also have it delivered directly to you from Amazon (Note, this is an affiliate link and if you buy your freekeh through this link, I just might make enough money to buy a cup of gas station coffee.)

You can get freaky with freekeh or, instead,use whatever grain floats your boat.  But, trust me on this, freekeh is freekin’ delicious!

Or, if you want or need to keep it gluten-free, try quinoa, riced cauliflower or gluten-free millet in place of the freekeh. It’ll still be good stuff!

Freekeh is flavorful, having a nutty taste with a chewy texture. It’s versatile and can be used for breakfast lunch or dinner and works in both savory and sweet dishes.

Freekeh has even been hailed by some as the “next superfood.” I’ve got to admit, Freekeh is pretty freaking awesome! According to the good folks over at Freekeh Foods, it has fewer calories than rice or quinoa and has “3x the fiber and 2x the protein as rice”.

So, grab your knife. Start chopping and get your freak on with your Freekeh Tabouleh! Enjoy!!

Freekeh Tabouleh

Light, lemony and refreshingly nutty. This Freekeh  Tabouleh ticks all the right boxes! It pairs perfectly with falafel, hummus or it can carry its own weight at the center of the plate.

• Author: Benita Walker Gibbs

Ingredients

For Lemon Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup White Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons finely minced shallot
• 2 Tablespoons fresh, minced chives
• 1 teaspoon organic sugar (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh, minced red, cayenne pepper), use more or less to taste
• 1/4 cup preserved lemon, finely chopped (you may purchase these at your local market, on Amazon or you may make them yourself. They are actually pretty simple to make. You can find a good recipe here,  here or here.
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea Salt and pepper to taste

For Tabouleh

• 1 cup organic freekeh ( I used Freekeh Foods Freekeh )
• 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
• 4 – 5 bunches organic Italian parsley, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 2  cups organic cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups organic cucumber, diced (optional)
• 1 cup chopped organic scallion (optional)
• Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Prepare Lemon Vinaigrette

Finely chop preserved lemon. In a bowl, mix all ingredients except olive oil, salt and pepper. Very gradually, whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside while you prepare the freekeh.

Prepare Freekeh

Rinse freekeh under cold water until the water runs clear (just like you do rice). Place water in a heavy saucepan and bring to boil.  Add salt and freekeh to boiling water. Stir and bring back to boiling.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook freekeh until it is al dente and the water has been absorbed.  This usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the freekeh because mushy grains are so not cool!

Remove freekeh and fluff gently with a fork.

Putting It All Together:

Place cooled freekeh in a large bowl and add parsley and toss well. Toss with vinaigrette, making sure that the freekeh grains are well moistened (but not swimming in liquid).  Add tomatoes (also the cucumbers and scallions, if using). Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. Add more vinaigrette if desired.

Notes

This vinagrette is also great as a marinate for tofu or tempeh or drizzled over freshly picked salad greens.