Quinoa Chickpea Tabbouleh

This salad was so good for our Easter dinner that today I plan to make another batch just so I can keep on eating it. It's a perfect Springtime dish because it's so fresh with the parsley and mint and then the lemon dressing is so refreshing. Everyone loved this salad yesterday. I made Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Lamb for the main dish that was amazing to say the least, especially the crusty coating on it made with butter, rosemary, and garlic. You can't go wrong with that combination, especially when the lamb was cooked perfectly.

I made four side dishes to go along with the lamb including my family's favorite "cheesy potatoes" that is basically a thick cheese sauce with cooked potatoes added to it. I plan to post the other three side dishes because they were all so delicious and I will definitely make them again. We had an incredible Easter dinner to say the least. Lauren, Nick + family came over and the grandkids were thrilled to have a Easter egg hunt. The two-year old just wanted to walk around carrying his basket full of plastic Easter eggs. He followed his sister everywhere getting the vib that something exciting was happening but not quite sure what it was all about. It was very fun to watch.

We also hid eggs inside, as well. In fact, I'm still finding hidden eggs today. I never realized how entertaining a bunch of plastic Easter eggs could possible be! I made little Easter baskets for each of them that was full of toys that I knew they would love.

This was our first Easter with our grandkids since they moved here from Japan last summer so we wanted to make the most of it and I think we did. We decorated eggs and made cupcakes earlier this week that I wrote about here so with all the plastic Easter eggs and toys from their baskets, I believe they were provided a full Easter experience. I set a festive Easter table setting that only added to the excitement.

We had Chocolate Cream Pie for dessert that is a favorite with everyone, even if you're a two or four-year old.

This week, I will slowly gather all the Easter stuff around the house (I'll probably be finding plastic Easter eggs all week!) and hopefully get it put away by the weekend. In the meantime, I will continue with my journey of healthy eating with recipes like this one from Hannah Freese, RD. Quinoa is an acceptable whole grain food that she allows on her eating plan. Once you reach your goal weight, you can start introducing more whole grains. Quinoa is a good one to start adding back because it has a very low glycemic index score of 53 and it's higher in fiber and protein than most other starches. I haven't reach goal weight yet but sometimes you just feel like something different. I will definitely make this salad a lot because it keeps very well and doesn't get soggy so you can take it to potlucks or make it ahead for a big dinner like I did for Easter. You'll want to add this one to your Springtime favorite recipes.

Serves 4

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked

2 cups parsley, stems removed, finely chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, stems removed, finely chopped

2 stalks green onions, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, medium, chopped

2 cups chickpeas, rinsed, drained and chopped

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, diced

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package and set aside to cool,

2. Once cooled, combine the quinoa with the parsley, mint, green onions, tomatoes and chickpeas in a large mixing bowl.

3. Whisk together the salad dressing in a small bowl.

4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly.

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