If you've ever done an Elimination diet or restrictive diet for medical purposes then you may have wondered what you can eat?! Well, really there are a ton of great, fresh, and healthy recipes with lots of flavor that you can experiment with. One of my favorite summer meals has always been Tabouli, my mom would make it by the mixing bowl full and it would magically disappear within days (maybe hours). So I did some experimenting myself in order to make this summer-time favorite doable while eliminating common food sensitivities such as gluten and nightshades. My swaps? Red apples for tomatoes and quinoa for couscous. I also added pine nuts for their lovely smooth, nutty flavor (totally optional if you're also avoiding nuts). Results?! Delicious! I have already made two batches 😆 and will surely be making more this summer. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 large cucumber, diced
2 bunches of parsley, stems removed, chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 large apple or 2 small apples (I used gala)
3 cups of cooked quinoa, cooled (1 cup uncooked)
1 large lemon or 2 small lemons juiced and strained (3-4 Tbsp)
1 lime, juiced and strained (3-4 Tbsp)
3-4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Cook the quinoa as instructed on packaging, allow to cool.
2. Dice and chop cucumber, parsley, green onions, and apple, combine in large mixing bowl. Add cooled quinoa to the mix. Sprinkle in salt.
3. Add juice from lemons and lime as well as EVOO, mix gently.
4. Top with pine nuts or mix them on in. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or so to allow the flavors to meld and enjoy! Goes great with homemade chicken shawarma, hummus, in lettuce wraps, or on a bed of greens. Yum!
ANDDDD....
I wanted to get the most out of my lemons, limes, and apple so I threw them into purified water for a blast of flavor. It did not disappoint, cheers!
In Health,
Kierstin DeWitt, ND, RAc