Sunday, April 7, 2013

Moroccan Spiced Bulgar and Chickpea Salad



Cooking is constantly a source of firsts.   And this was my first time buying bulgar wheat.    Apparently it is full of fiber and will fill you up and satisfy.    Make you less likely to eat that Cadbury creme egg that has somehow made it past Easter.   That's what I keep telling myself. 

I'm not used to making (or eating) grain salads, but I like all the different options for flavors and ingredients.   And it's colorful.   Even more colorful in this bowl that I got at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul last spring.  I'm pretty sure I need to go back to Turkey.   For more bowls.  And pastry.

This recipe came from the Cooking Light Mix & Match Low-Calorie Cookbook.   If you want a little extra somethin-somethin you can always sprinkle a little feta on top.   Also, a drizzle of lime juice right before you serve it kicks it back up again.

What You Need

3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
1 1/3 cups uncooked bulgar wheat
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup dried cranberries (used reduced sugar Craisins...with some left for snacking)
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1 teaspoon dried mint (or 2 teaspoon fresh - I went the dried route this time)
1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained

What You Do

You're making a little Moroccan-inspired salad dressing with the first 6 ingredients.  Put it in a large bowl and whisk away.  

Combine the 2 cups boiling water and the bulgar in a large bowl.   Cover it up and let it sit for 20 or so minutes until the liquid is absorbed.   Admittedly I lost patience with the liquid that was not absorbed and just drained it out.

Add bulgar, carrots, cranberries, almonds, mint and beans to your bowl of "dressing" and toss it well.    The serving size (to keep it low-calorie as promised) is 1 cup.    That keeps you at a nice 394 calories.  

Traveler in the Kitchen now has its own Facebook page.   You know you want to like it. 

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