Cleansing Tabbouleh Salad

A traditional Tabbouleh Salad is basically an herb salad with lots of parsley, a small amount of bulgar wheat and fresh vegetables which is cleansing on it’s own. I added my own spin to this Mediterranean inspired salad that makes it gluten-free friendly and also switched out a few ingredients for what I had on hand, while adding a couple things too. 

The best thing about this Cleansing Tabbouleh Salad?! It’s low-fat, super simple and can be whipped up in about 30 minutes, depending on the type of grain you use. For a grain-free salad, try this yummy Chopped Detox Salad. I chose brown rice for the grain, but quinoa would be a perfect gluten free swap too which I would have used but I ran out of. What makes this salad purifying and cleansing is the fresh parsley, alkalizing lemon juice and nutrient-rich vegetables, giving it vibrant flavor and heartiness from the brown rice. Say yes to good carbs!!! Herbs are amazing for healing and cleansing the body and are crucial for any detox program.

Parsley is highly nutritious and offers way more than just a little herb garnish on your plate! This herb supports kidney function and purifies the blood. Parsley has 3x the amount of vitamin C found in oranges, twice as much iron as spinach and is high in vitamin A, calcium and manganese as well as flavonoids (antioxidants). 

Cucumbers have a high water and fiber content which helps naturally reduce bloat and promotes healthy digestion. Think of cucumber as nature’s diuretic. Cucumbers have silicon and sulphur which are so good for our skin and hair, keeping our skin youthful and glowy while keeping our hair strong and shiny. They help to keep us hydrated and nourished (they?re full of vitamin K and B) on hot summer days. Add cucumber to smoothies/juices like my Bikini Ready Green Detox Smoothie.

Celery is also a high-water, anti-inflammatory veggie (natural diuretic) with phenolic phytonutrients that decrease oxidative damage. 

Tomatoes are high in antioxidants to fight off free radicals in the body as well as lycopene which is known to fight certain cancers. They’re also anti-inflammatory and lower cholesterol levels, yay for heart health! Tomatoes are good source of vitamin K, C, biotin, folate, manganese, potassium and copper. 

Cauliflower is one of my fave fiber-rich cruciferous veggies, especially for detox. This hearty vegetable activates and regulates detoxification enzymes in the body from the key phytonutrients and antioxidants. It’s also high in vitamin K which helps regulate our inflammatory response. 

Lemon is so key for cleansing and alkalizing pH levels. I’m obsessed with lemon water and adding fresh lemon to every salad dressing or juice.

For this recipe, the cauliflower florets are chopped/crumbled in the food processor to make cauliflower rice. It’s a unique and fun way to add extra veggies to anything you make without really noticing at all, if you don’t like cauliflower. It’s my fave way to add extra fiber and nutrients to salads, plus it’s way easier than chopping it up into small bite-size pieces.

This not-so-classic tabbouleh salad can be enjoyed warm or cold and is perfect for a summer beach/pool day or picnic. Add some chickpeas or cannellinni beans for a yummy lunch or super easy dinner option. I also had to add hemp hearts because I can’t seem to go without them in my salads nowadays. They’re magical little shelled shelled hemp seeds with omega goodness and high quality plant protein. 

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Cleansing Tabbouleh Salad

• Prep Time: 15
• Total Time: 35

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Ingredients

• 1.5 cups cooked grain (brown rice or quinoa)
• 1/2 head of a cauliflower, florets
• 1/2 of an English Cucumber, chopped small
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1/2 of a red onion (or 1 bunch of green onions), chopped
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup hemp hearts

Oil-Free Dressing

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or raw, apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 small clove of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare brown rice of your grain of choice, according to directions.
2. In a food processor, pulse cauliflower florets until crumbled like grains of rice. Transfer the “cauliflower rice” to a large bowl. Add the chopped cucumber, celery, onion, tomatoes, parsley and hemp hearts.
3. Combine with the cooked grain of choice. Mix well.
4. Prepare the dressing and pour over the salad. Mix until well combined.
5. Serve warm or refrigerate a couple hours to let the flavors come together.
6. Enjoy!

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Notes

• Stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• If you aren’t planning on eating this salad all at once, consider leaving the dressing on the side and adding as needed to prevent sogginess!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 5

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