Quick Tabbouleh

Tomatoes - specifically raw ones - are one of those things I'm trying to incorporate into my diet more. They've never been something I've really liked to eat, though they're one of my favourite things to try and grow in the garden.

So, when Phil came home with some heirloom cherry tomatoes earlier this week, I knew I wanted to use them in a recipe that would showcase lots of bright, fresh flavours.

Earthy cracked wheat, fresh green onions, parsley, mint and tomatoes form the base of this recipe. Any leftovers the next day can be turned into a lunch time salad when mixed with tuna, chopped kalamata olives and capers.

Quick Tabbouleh

(slightly modified from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

2½ cups boiling water, or vegetable stock brought to a boil
1½ cups uncooked bulgur wheat
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup quartered heirloom cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest 
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. Place bulgur in a large bowl. Pour boiling water or stock over top. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for an hour.


2. Once the hour has passed and liquid has been absorbed, fluff bulgur with a fork. To it add parsley through lemon zest.


3. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over bulgur mixture. Toss gently and let sit for at least 30 minutes to allow flavours to combine. Mixture will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Bulghur Salad with Cranberries and Cucumbers.

This was my first time using bulgur, and it's something I definitely plan to use again in the future. I brought this salad for lunch twice this week, and I really found that it gave me a lot of energy throughout the day... so if you're brown bagging things as I do, but haven't cooked with bulgur before, this is a great intro recipe to a really tasty grain.

Day three in the fridge, just as tasty as day one!

Bulgur is a wheat cereal - though different kinds of wheat can be used to make it. Most commonly, durum semolina seems to be the wheat of choice.

A close up

 I've based this recipe on one from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry called Grainman. My measurements are usually pretty loose... so although I've given exact ones here, you should feel more than free to play around with them.

Ingredients

1 cup orange juice
1 cup bulgur
½ cup cranberries
½ cup each diced celery and diced cucumber (I used a baby cuke)
¼ cup chopped almonds
2 tbsp chopped chives
one handful chopped fresh parsley
half a handful chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp walnut oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest from one lemon
¼ tsp each salt and pepper

Directions

Combine orange juice and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and add bulgur. Simmer, covered for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 20 minutes or until bulgur has absorbed all that delicious liquid.

While the bulgur is doing its thing, mix cranberries through nuts in a large bowl.

Once the bulgur has absorbed everything, add it, along with the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Stir well. Taste and check seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Salad will keep, covered in the fridge, for 3 days.