La Mexicana – Tabbouleh with a tasty, fun Mexican twist!

I woke up yesterday thinking about Mexico and tabbouleh.

What do those two things have in common you ask? Ahhh, I had no idea either, but when I got to my fridge: it hit me!

I didn’t even have my breakfast banana yet when I opened my fridge that morning, but already I was thinking about lunch. I craved tabbouleh, the fresh and delicious traditional Arab salad commonly made with parsley and sometimes a little mint, bulgur, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.

I hardly had any of those ingredients in my fridge. I did, however, have many of my favorite Mexican flavours: fresh cilantro, firm limes, a perfectly ripe avocado, green onion, ravishingly red cherry tomatoes, and of course plenty of garlic.

Oh joy! It hit me: this is what Mexico and tabbouleh have in common: a tabbouleh with a Mexican twist! Instead of parsley, I’ll use cilantro; instead of lemons, limes, instead of bulgur, quinoa, and I’ll add the avocado to reinforce the Mexican tastes! This must be what great chefs call: improvisation! OH YUM! Refreshing, healthy, mostly raw, beautiful – a perfect summer salad!

Fresh cilantro is so healthy and tasty. It is a very powerful antioxidant, helping the body rid itself of harmful toxins, even heavy metals! Cilantro also aids in proper digestion and elimination, is an important anti-inflammatory and natural anti-bacterial. For your health and for your taste buds: please eat some cilantro!

Limes are gifts from nature. Packed with vitamin C and flavonoids, limes are excellent for glowing skin and to fight off infections. Like cilantro, lime promotes proper digestion and smooth elimination.

Raw garlic has so many health benefits, I would need a couple of pages to list them all. Most of us have already heard of the scientifically proven benefits of garlic, but to quickly summarize, raw garlic keeps the vampires away (haha – just checking to see  if you’re paying attention!), is a natural anti-bacterial and antibiotic, promotes cardiovascular health and fights cancer!

Last but not least, one of my favorite tastes of Mexico: the avocado – oh what perfection! Is there anything more delicious than a perfectly ripe avocado? Well, OK, there are many, many, many fruits just as delicious, but don’t let me digress! Avocados are so yummy that I feel compelled to kiss them before I eat them! Another fruit with health benefits up the wazoo!

Dear Avocado: I love you. Thank you for being you.

One forkful takes me back to my beloved Mexican beach, my feet in the sand, hearing the whispers of the ocean, being kissed by the salty air, feeling the soft breeze through my hair, and the sunshiny warmth on my skin. All this, La Mexicana allows me to experience, in addition to a refreshing taste explosion in my mouth and raw healthy boost to every cell in my body.

Try it and do something wonderful for your body, mind and soul! Enjoy, in joy and in health!

Ingredients:

½ cup quinoa, cooked and cooled (sprouted if desired)
3 cups fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, diced, or 7-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small avocado, chopped
5-6 green onions, finely chopped
½ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chili flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
3 tablespoons hemp seeds

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients, except hemp seeds, in a large bowl. Toss.
2. Refrigerate for one hour.
3. Garnish with hemp seeds and serve chilled.

“The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.” ~Alice Walker