I used to hate the taste of parsley. When I was young, my mom would make us eat the parsley garnish when we went out to eat. She would tell us it was good for our breath and digestion. I always considered eating the plate decoration the unfortunate price for eating out and I was (grudgingly) willing to pay.
I’m not sure exactly where it turned around for me, but, the more I cooked, the more I started liking parsley. I never had a parsley epiphany, just gradually started getting used to using it and liked the flavor it added to certain dishes.
I tried tabouli for the first time at a Mediterranean restaurant when it showed up as a side dish. I knew it had potential but the first time was way too lemony. I really liked the strong parsley flavor so I looked for it at other restaurants. I tried it at a few other places and then started ordering it anywhere I could find it.
A couple of years ago my fiancée had a very restrictive special diet which introduced us to quinoa. We looked for as many quinoa recipes as we could but the list was short. Traditionally, tabouli is made with bulgur wheat but, not having made it before, I figured I could use quinoa instead. Turns out I was right and my first try turned out great. It became a frequent part of our diet, especially in the summer when tomatoes and cucumbers are fresh and in season. It also made my mom proud.
Tabouli is great on its own, with hummus or even as a salad topper. Enjoy.