You asked for it. Or at least someone asked for it at one point in time... because it is on my "Recipes To Make" list, which is full of recipe ideas you guys want me to make (you may have already guessed as much from the very non-mysterious title of the list). Now that I am getting back into the groove of making and photographing recipes for my blog (it takes awhile after you write a cookbook) I am wanting to share recipes that I know you all want. So I have been checking out my to-do list of recipe ideas and this one seemed to be just right for today. Just so you know: the past two recipes I have posted (Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches and Carrot Cake Cookies) were on the list too. I'm getting #$%& done, folks. But back to tabbouleh. I have been soaking up the unusually sunny days we are getting here and for whatever reason tabbouleh felt very fitting for my dinner after another day of sun bathing on the beach. As my dad says "Wow, Em, the life of a blogger/author is tough!" The von Euws are a sarcastic bunch.

I have never eaten traditional tabbouleh, only the adaptions to it that are very common these days in trendy spots; quinoa tabbouleh with sautéed eggplant, for example. Although this stuff is DELICIOUS, it isn't really tabbouleh. Apparently - according to Wikipedia - tabbouleh is traditionally mostly parsley, along with lemon juice, salt, onions, mint, a tiny amount of bulgar or cous cous, and a bit of oil. It's essentially a parsley salad. YUM. It originated in a region near Egypt that also gave us magical foods like hummus and baba ghanoush. Best place ever, basically. In my recipe today I used pearl barley instead of bulgar because that is all I had and it turned out wonderfully, even if it isn't strictly in the original tabbouleh style. Dangit. So that means I STILL have not eaten legit authentic tabbouleh. One day... one day. I think this dish is so desirable in warmer months because it tastes fresh with the lemon juice, parsley and min; and is served cold. This is a perfect meal on it's own, but I bet it would be splendid as a side/salad with another dish!


TABBOULEH with BARLEY: serves one

1-2 cups cooked pearl barley 
1 cup packed parsley leaves
Handful mint leaves
2 tomatoes
1 garlic clove
Juice from 1 lemon
2 small onions
Salt, as desired
Olive oil, as desired 

Roughly chop all the veggies, then pulse in your food processor until they are finely diced. You can also finely chop them by hand... but a food processor saves a lot of time and does the job just as well. Mix the sliced veg and barley together then season with olive oil, salt and lemon juice as you like! Enjoy. 

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