Ugh….Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow predicting 6 more weeks of winter. One thing I’ve had enough of: wearing boots all the time! I’d say it’s time to move on. Let’s do that with our food choices too. I love a good bowl of warming soup, but it’s time to bring in more salad. Grain-free tabbouleh is just the winter salad to perk things up.

Riced Cauliflower and Broccoli for a Grain-Free Tabbouleh:

If you’re doing whole30 or trying to cut back on grains, riced veggies are the way to go. Using riced cauliflower or broccoli in place of some or all of the grains in your recipes is actually genius. More vegetables, yet somehow it doesn’t seem like it. Simple swaps like this enable me to enjoy some of my favorite recipes , while not compromising on my  health goals.  The texture of the riced veggies mimics that of rice, couscous or bulgur wheat enabling me to add in nutrition and not sacrifice taste.

Recipe Creativity:

This recipe for winter tabbouleh is flexible. If you can’t find fresh pomegranates or seeds, you can substitute unsulfured golden raisins…or if you wanted that punch of color, use unsweetened and unsulfured dried cranberries or cherries. I prefer the pomegranate seeds because they don’t have all the sugar of dried fruit, plus I love their texture.   If tree nuts are an issue, you can sub sunflower seeds for the pistachios or something else crunchy like diced celery. Use my recipe as a starting point and make this salad yours!

What is sumac?

Sumac is a reddish-purple powder used as a spice in Middle Eastern Cuisine to add a tart, lemony taste to salads or meat. Last summer when I was making this nectarine salad on the regular, I became obsessed with Sumac. While I wait for nectarines to be back in season, I’ll continue crushing on this grain-free tabbouleh which really isn’t a sacrifice at all. I love the way the tartness of the sumac evokes summer without having to use summer produce when it’s not in season. If you don’t have any sumac, add a bit more lemon zest and/or lemon juice to produce that tang.

I’m not a big believer in the Ground Hog Day tradition, but (spoiler alert) the weather forecast doesn’t look like it’s moderating any time soon—and I am a believer of eating in season as much as possible. Time to expand the winter repertoire, and add this delicious winter tabbouleh into the rotation. Although summer tabbouleh is one of my favorites, I draw the line when the tomatoes have had to be refrigerator trucked in. It’s full of fall and winter ingredients with just a touch of spring hinted at to bring hope that warmer days will be heading our way.

More salad recipes to enjoy:

• Easy Chopped Salad
• Riced Broccoli and Quinoa Salad
• Harvest salad with apple vinaigrette
• Butternut Squash Salad

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Yield: 8 servings

Winter Tabbouleh

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Gluten-Free Tabbouleh uses a combo of riced cauliflower and broccoli for a grain-like texture. Fresh herbs and lots of greens make this delicious salad nutrient dense.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 cups riced broccoli or cauliflower or a combo. (If using frozen, thaw at room temp).
•  1-2 cups kale *
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/3 cup pistachios, chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sumac (optional)
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons honey

Instructions

1. You can buy already riced cauliflower and broccoli either in the produce section or the frozen section of most supermarkets. If you buy it already riced, pick through broccoli and discard any woody stems. If you're ricing it yourself, cut iInto florets and also discard the really woody part of the stems...otherwise pulse the florets and the stems iIn a food processor until desired rice like consistency.
2. If you're using curly kale, wash and dry thoroughly before roughly chopping.
3. In a small measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil and honey. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine veggies, greens, herbs and all spices, including lemon zest and juice. Pour dressing over and mix well.
5. Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Flavors will intensify as they mingle, but salad will not become wilted.
6. Tabbouleh can be made in advance. Mix oil, lemon juice and honey in a jar with tight fitting lid. Mix everything else together in an airtight container. Store in fridge until ready to mix and serve. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

Notes

* Curly Kale---either green or purple----or baby Kale works better than lacinato or elephant kale in this recipe.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 156 Total Fat 10g Saturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 8g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 186mg Carbohydrates 17g Net Carbohydrates 0g Fiber 5g Sugar 9g Sugar Alcohols 0g Protein 4g

The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.