In January we sent you parsley seed packets with your book. PJ Library communities all over planted parsley as part of their Tu B'Shevat activites, and families have continued to share their "parsley progress" with us on social media. Some PJ families have a nice crop of parsley growing and ready to use right away. Some of us, well, we may have "overwatered" our parsley, but that's ok. All of these activities are fair game for both your PJ parsley and that nice bunch you got from the grocery store.
Put it on your Seder plate
This one is probably pretty obvious, so let's move on.
Toss it in a recipe
After Passover you're likely to have a lot of leftover parsley. Why not make use of it in a tasty salad? Our PJ Goes to School educator, Sarah Wilensky, shared two of her favorite quick recipes that star parsley. The best part? They're quick to prepare and totally kid-friendly.
Quinoa Tabouleh Salad
Ingredients
2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
½ red onion, minced
4 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Rinse quinoa well with cold water in a mesh strainer.
Combine quinoa with the vegetable broth or water in a small pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Once finished, if there is liquid that has not been absorbed, drain liquid.
Combine cooked quinoa with the chopped parsley, mint, onion and tomatoes. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk together. Top the quinoa mixture with the dressing and combine.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
This dish is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and Kosher for Passover! You can serve this dish with large pieces of romaine lettuce to make lettuce wraps, you could add feta cheese for another taste variation. This pairs well with meat, fish and chicken for a wonderful and filling side.
Bright Bean SaladIngredients
1 16 oz. can black beans, rinsed
1 16 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
½ red onion, chopped fine
½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Simply combine all ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate. Top with a fried egg for a delicious meal, serve alongside a sandwich, eat plain as a snack, use as a dip for corn chips. The possibilities are endless!
Here are some other great recipes from around the web that feature parsley as the star: Salsa Verde, Israeli Salad, and Parsley Oil. For more quick and easy recipes, don't forget to check out our series with Jennifer Stemple of The Cuban Reuben.
You can also save your PJ Parsley for later
Here's how:
Dry It
Drying fresh herbs is a great way to preserve left over pieces for later. You can hang herbs, oven-dry them, or even pop them in the microwave. For a complete step by step how-to visit Taste of Home.
Preserve it in ice cube trays
Combine your parsley with olive oil and pour into ice cube trays. Whenever you need a bit of seasoning for your next sauce, or post-Passover pasta dish, pop out a cube and mix it in. You can do this with many other fresh herbs too.
Do you have any great PJ parsley suggestions for us? Tell us about them on Facebook!
April 18, 2016