I have big plans to switch my blog over to WordPress during my upcoming Spring Break in a few weeks – wild and crazy – I know.  Who needs a party in Daytona when I can edit HTML and go on all-nighter formatting binges right here in Charlotte?!?  :)  Until then, I thought it might be easier if I did all recipe posts with the recipe name in the post title – what do you think? 

Last night’s dinner was definitely recipe-worthy.  A delicious bulgur wheat salad that looks very simple, but was packed with flavor…

Maple Soy Bulgur Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry bulgur wheat
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds
• salt and pepper

To Prepare:  I used my rice cooker for this, but it is just as easy to prepare on the stovetop.  Start by heating the orange juice and water to a boil.  Meanwhile, combine the bulgur wheat, soy sauce, and ginger powder in a separate bowl.  Once the liquid comes to a boil, pour it over the bulgur mixture, stir to combine, and cover the bowl with a lid or plate.  Let the mixture sit for at least 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.  Finally, uncover and fluff with a fork and stir in maple syrup and slivered almonds.  Season to taste with salt and a touch of black pepper.  Enjoy!

We enjoyed our delicious grains with lots and lots of fresh vegetables.  We had a lot of veggies in our fridge that were starting to look sad, so I decided to make a vegetable medley for dinner – all different colors, shapes, and sizes!

Starting with my all-time favorite food – eggplant.  I even got Casey to admit that he really liked this – turns out roasting it made all the difference!  I have a feeling we will be eating a lot of roasted eggplant from now on.

Simple cinnamon carrots.  I bought a ten pound bag of carrots the week before Christmas, since we would be needing a lot of them for our holiday dinners.  But wow – ten pounds is a LOT of carrots.  I also didn’t realize they had such a long shelf life!  These were still completely delicious and fresh tasting almost two months later.  Time to go get a new ten pound bag!

Maple baked acorn squash – inspired by Kath.  I love how soft these are, and how chewy the skins get when you roast them.  Yes, I eat the skins – it’s the best part!

Lots of vegetables piled high on the plate.  Huge portion, tons of nutrients, very low in calories, just like I like it.

If you have never tried bulgur wheat before, this is a great recipe for beginners because it is fast and simple, and (aside from the bulgur) the ingredient list is most likely already in your kitchen.  You can buy bulgur in health food stores like Whole Foods and Fresh Market, or at most grocery stores near the rice and grains.

If you need some additional coaxing, there is a great post today on the New York Times’ Well blog (a favorite of mine) called The Benefits of Bulgur – with nutritional explanations and additional recipes.  Speaking of recipes…

What types of foods would you like to see more of on the blog?  Any specific foods you don’t know how to prepare or would like to see featured?  Vegetarian suggestions only, please! :)