Hemp Seed Tabbouleh

for a Nutrient-Packed side dish

I’m on a mission to get people to eat more parsley, and this Hemp Seed Tabbouleh is a great way to do it! Parsley is a nutritional powerhouse people. It is absolutely chock-full of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. One cup of chopped parsley has approximately 8mg of non-heme iron. That’s huge! That same cup will also have a full day’s worth of vitamins A, K and C. By weight – parsley has more Vitamin C than oranges. What’s more it’s cheap, has a mild, fresh taste, and you can find it almost anywhere.

In traditional medicine parsley is used as a digestive aid. That means it’s used to relive gas, people! If you’re on a plant-based diet, this is really good news. It’s also used to combat bad breath, release fluid retention, help lower blood pressure, and even prevent multiplication of cancer cells.

What more could you ask for? I mean seriously. Here we have an herb that helps you to fart less, have good smelling breath, experience less bloating, and all the while it’s preventing cancer and delivering dietary iron? I feel like parsley just solved all of my problems.

Finally, for the care-takers out there, parsley is a great way to add nutrition to the dishes of growing littles. You can toss it into soups, stews, burritos, salads, wraps, or just make this incredibly tasty salad.

Traditional tabbouleh calls for bulgar wheat. In this recipe we’re swapping out the bulgar wheat for hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are an excellent source of plant-based protein, and they deliver a solid dose of essential fatty acids. Of course if you want to add bulgar wheat too, go for it!

Hemp Seed Tabbouleh

Makes about 4 servings. Prep time: 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Large bunch of curly parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh mint (optional)
• 1 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
• Juice of 1 large lemon + more to taste

METHOD

1. Wash and mince the parsley and mint (if using). You can do this by hand or in a food processor. (See video below for a tutorial!)
2. Transfer parsley to a medium mixing bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients. Toss well and serve! This will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

A few ideas for serving:

• Add two cups of cooked chickpeas to make this a more substantial salad and serve in whole-wheat pita pockets.
• Enjoy as part of a Lebanese spread with hummus, falafel, and stuffed grape leaves and Fattoush.
• Make a grain bowl! In a bowl combine a serving of your favourite cooked whole grain (like brown rice, barley, bulgar wheat or quinoa) a scoop of seasoned lentils, some chopped lettuce, and a big scoop of tabbouleh.

Looking for more tabbouleh recipes? I have a Cauliflower Tabbouleh recipe for you here.

Looking for move videos on knife skills? Go here!

Enjoy!