So I've been meaning to experiment with bulgur for a while. As you know, I love whole grains and I am obsessed with finding new and exciting ways to eat them. Unfortunately, many of my favorite grains take a really long time to cook, so I was intrigued that bulgur can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.
Bulgur is made from pre-cooked, cracked wheat berries. It is naturally high in fiber, low in fat and vegetarian/vegan. It is a great substitute for rice because it has more fiber and nutrients, but has a lower glycemic index. A cup of cooked bulgur has only 151 calories while packing in 8.2 grams of fiber and 5.6 grams of protein! However, as a wheat product, it is not suitable for people on a gluten-free diet.
So, bulgur is quick, easy and nutritious. But how does it taste? Great! It has a similar consistency to couscous but with a bit of nutty flavor like quinoa. I can see why it's a popular addition to soups.
For my bulgur experiment, I was inspired by this recipe from Eating Well. I stir fried some kale with onion and walnuts and tossed everything with some olive oil and white wine vinegar. I also added some optional cherry tomatoes for color and crunch since I had some lying around. This recipe was flavorful and filling. Serving size is about 1 cup and this recipe should serve 4 with a bit to spare.
Read more for the full recipe!
Ingredients:
1 cup bulgur, dry
3-4 cups kale, washed and chopped into 1" wide ribbons
1/4 chopped walnuts
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
optional: 1 tsp red pepper flakes
optional: 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced
Step by Step Instructions:
1. Cook bulgur according to package directions
2. Saute onion in 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat until soft 4-5 minutes
3. Add kale and reduce heat to med-low, saute with onion for 5-7 minutes, until leaves wilt
4. Stir in cooked bulgur and walnuts
5. Toss with 1 tsp oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and optional tomatoes and red pepper
6. Serve warm or cold
Introduced first to edamame, now bulgar, I always learn new ingredients to try when I visit and delicious new recipes like this too :D
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Aw. Thanks. I get excited about experimenting with new things. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWhat a fabulous recipe, this looks absolutely delicious!! :)
ReplyDeleteI love bulgur and this looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery healthy and tasty looking!
ReplyDeleteDidn't know bulgur still exist nowadays! :) Used to have it way back on my younger years. That sounds a healthy recipe!
ReplyDeleteYes. I wasn't looking for it so I never saw it but since I starting hunting around for it I've found it in a variety of stores.
DeleteFabulous recipe! I love the use of bulgur and kale together.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for a different version of bulgur! Will have to try!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try this...
ReplyDeleteThis looks really tasty. It's nice to see bulgur used for something other than tabbouleh. Thanks for posting. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't had bulgur in awhile & this looks great ... Thx for the reminder :-)
ReplyDeleteI have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! Stop by my blog for the details :) Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteMmm love bulgur! The addition of walnuts is a great idea.
ReplyDeletei'm always so inspired to try new things after stopping by your blog. i've never had bulgur before, but now i definitely want to try - this sounds so delicious!
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe! I'm always looking for ways to sneak kale into my diet!
ReplyDelete