Quinoa and Eggplant Tabouli

I finally got off my Asian recipe trend.  First up was a vegetarian tamale pie that I didn't bother to post because it was similar to a previous recipe.  After that, I really wanted to get back on a Mediterranean diet and chose this.

For those who have never had regular tabouli, it's a parsley and bulgur wheat salad.  To make this a main dish vegan meal with proper proteins, I'm subbing in quinoa here.  The other substitution I'm making is roasted eggplant instead of chopped tomatoes.  It's still winter, and I wanted one cooked veggie in the salad.

The substitution of quinoa does make this gluten-free.  I had a cheesy roll on the side.  One thing about so much Asian food is all the rice.  I was missing bread.

1 bunch parsley
3/4 C dry quinoa
1 large eggplant
*1/2 C diced red onion
3 stalks green onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped in bite-sized pieces
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tb olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Soak quinoa if necessary, then cook to package directions.  Toss with lemon juice and oil and set aside.  Can be refrigerated ahead of time.

2.  Preheat oven to 400º.  Pierce eggplant in several places and roast until soft but not deflated, about 45 minutes.  Allow to cool a bit, then peel and chop insides.

3.  Remove large stems from parsley and chop.  Add to a bowl with the remaining ingredients.  Add salt and pepper as needed.  If too dry, add more oil.  Chill until ready to serve.

Difficulty rating :)