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Parsley is listed in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton. She says that the foods she lists in her book are the tastes that every food lover should experience or dream about. I am 26 foods in, and Parsley is food #27!
My research about parsley enabled me to see how versatile this delicious herb is, as well as how good it is for you! It most definitely deserves a place as one of the 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die!
Varieties of Parsley
I admit that growing up all I knew about parsley was that it was a garnish. Curly parsley was used as the garnish, and sometimes I’d actually remove it and put it to the side. Shame on me!
Later when I started cooking I learned of the Italian flat-leafed variety. Now..please allow me to say I favor this one and hardly ever buy or grow the curly parsley any longer (sorry curly parsley!). I do find that the Italian flat leaf has much more flavor and is more versatile than its curly relative.
Benefits of Parsley
Who knew that parsley is so good for you?! Parsley is a source of many vitamins including several B Vitamins, and rich in Vitamin C and K! It is also a source of minerals, especially rich in iron, and contains antioxidants.
It seems parsley also contains plant compounds that may also help to fight cancer! Here’s a great article from Healthline.com called 8 Impressive Health Benefits and Uses of Parsley which has convinced me eat more parsley! 🙂
My Favorite Ways to Use Parsley!
One of my absolute favorite ways to use parsley is in a Parsley Pesto.
You can use pesto in so many ways: as a dip, as an accompaniment to meat, as a spread for crackers, and whatever else you can come up with! I love adding parsley pesto to linguine and the result is absolutely delicious. Get my recipe for Linguine With Delicious Parsley Pesto by visiting this link.
Parsley is also an essential ingredient in the Middle Eastern salad called tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is usually made with bulgur wheat, parsley, mint, onion, tomatoes, and lemon juice.
The first time I made tabouleh was for this post, so please forgive me I cheated and used a brand called Near East. I used this brand’s Tabouleh Grain Salad Mix as the base for my tabouleh, and I thought it was excellent.
You can see in the spice mix in the picture above how much dried parsley (along with mint) is included in the mix. I added plenty of fresh Italian parsley to this mix, along with plenty of lemon juice and a large chopped tomato. Doesn’t the result look delicious?
I ended up serving this with a grilled chicken breast that had been seasoned with Middle Eastern spices including sumac, za’atar, and salt. It was so good! The recipe for the tabouleh and the chicken breast can be found below.
Of course, you can always use parsley as a garnish. Here I have used it as a garnish on a platter which contains hummus and za’atar, pita bread, and some veggies. Za’atar is also one of the foods in my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. 🙂
Eat More Parsley! It is Delicious and Good for You!
Parsley is delicious, whether used as a garnish, part of a pesto, in a salad such as tabouleh, or any other way you fancy! Mimi Sheraton’s book also recommends using it in a parsley cream soup or a risotto with parsley. Both sound fantastic, and I’ll be looking into those options soon!
1,000 Foods to Eat Project
Please follow along with me on this quest to try the 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, from the book by Mimi Sheraton! Join me in this journey and discover new foods, experiences, and cuisines which I hope will add inspiration, fun, and joy to your life! Visit the 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page to view a list of the foods tried so far.
Parsley is #27 on my list of foods to try. 27 down, 973 to go!
If you’d like to follow along and be a part of the 1,000 Foods Project, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It’s an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here. 🙂
Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or suggestions I would be honored if you would share them below!
Cheers! Grace
Near East Tabouleh Grain Salad and Middle Eastern Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 box Near East Whole Grain Tabouleh
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 cup Italian parsley minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp Za'atar
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 1 ts salt (for chicken) plus additional if needed for the tabouleh
- 3 tbsp olive oil split (1 tbsp for the tabouleh, 2 tbsp for the chicken)
Instructions
- To make the Near East Tabouleh, combine the contents of the box in a medium saucepan. You will combine the wheat and the contents of the Spice packet. Add 1 cup of boiling water, stir. Cover, and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Stir in your chopped tomato, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and your minced parsley. Mix well. Cover, then chill approximately 1 hr. Taste, and add additional salt if needed to suit your tastes.
- While the tabouleh is chilling, mix the salt, sumac, and Za'atar in a small bowl. PLEASE NOTE: If the Za'atar you are using contains salt, you may want to cut back a little on the additional salt this recipe calls for.
- Using the mix of sumac, Za'atar, and salt (if used), season your chicken breasts on both sides.
- Heat up 2 tbsp in your skillet until hot, on med high heat. Add your chicken breasts, and fry both sides each approximately 5-6 minutes or until cooked. If the breasts are thick, you may need to fry them for longer. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes.
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