Millet Tabouli

Vegan lunches can -- and should -- be a lot more interesting than bare salads or carrot sticks and hummus. New Veganism columnist Gena Hamshaw will be sharing inspiration for midday meals that stave off both hunger and boredom.

Today: Gena inspires us to get creative with tabouli.

A few years ago, quinoa tabouli was all the rage, as quinoa offered a gluten-free and higher-protein alternative to the classic bulghur wheat. But the times, they are a-changin’, and I think it’s time to break the tabouli mold once again.

Millet is a little less trendy than quinoa, but it has its own unique charms. It is starchier and more filling than quinoa, but a little fluffier and lighter than rice. It’s slightly nutty, but it soaks up flavors easily.

More: Learn more about this ancient grain from Shauna Ahern.

In the summer, I like to customize my tabouli with whichever herbs I have on hand. In this tabouli, I used it all: parsley, basil, and mint. The result was a particularly flavorful dish, which is good on its own or with a nice scoop of hummus or cashew cheese.

To make Millet Tabouli:

I used 2 cups of chopped vine tomatoes, 2 cups of cooked millet, 2 cups of tightly packed parsley, 1 cup of tightly packed basil, and a half cup of tightly packed mint (all fresh). I mixed the grains and tomatoes, then used a food processor to chop the herbs finely and added them to the bowl. I whisked together three tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of one lemon, and sea salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to customize however you like: add onion or garlic, go the traditional route with bulghur wheat, or, if you must, use quinoa. We won’t hold it against you.

Photos by Gena Hamshaw

How do you make tabouli? Tell us in the comments!