As I frequently do I turned to an entrée salad when I don’t have a lot of time. I made a bulgur salad dressed with lemon zest and juice, flaxseed oil and dried oregano. In the salad I added finely diced grape tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell pepper green onions and raw sunflower seeds. I served this on top of a large quantity of raw baby spinach dressed with fresh lemon juice. We had falafel from the freezer that I warmed in the microwave to go with the cold grains and greens.
It was a fast dinner but a tasty and filling one. Sorry I didn’t have time to measure. Today was much more rushed than normal. Tomorrow should be a much more “normal” day at our house.
If you like the flavors of the salad but aren’t a fan of bulgur I have made a similar salad with brown rice, millet, barley wheat berries or quinoa. Any grain works in this salad. I always add the acid when the grain is hot so that it absorbs the flavor. Since I used flaxseed oil I added that once the grain had cooled to room temperature. Any of the grains will have absorbed more the flavors tomorrow, assuming you have leftovers.
What an impressive quick and healthy dinner! I've never cooked falafel or bulgur before. I should introduce new healthy foods to my family for a happy and healthy 2010!
ReplyDeletep.s. Do you have falafel recipe posted on your blog?
Looks so bright and colorful. Yum. I just saw a recipe on another blog for a sweet potato falafel. I've never made them from scratch, only from the boxed mixes.
ReplyDeleteOraphan,
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
Bulgur is a very quick grain to make. You cook it like rice and it only needs to simmer for approximately 12 minutes. I make it when I need a quick grain dish. We think it is good hot or cold.
I need to check but I don't think my falafel recipe is on the blog. Typically they are fried, but as you may have guessed mine are baked. My freezer stash is almost depleted so I will need to make more this month. I will get it posted the next time I make them.
Heather,
Falafel are easy to make. Traditionally they are made from ground soaked but not cooked dried garbanzos and favas with copious amounts of fresh herbs. I will get my version posted sometime this month.
Alicia
That salad looks SO delicious! I love falafel!
ReplyDeleteAnna,
ReplyDeleteWe love falafel too! They normally end up on a salad at our house. However, falafel are also good on a pizza if you make your own pizza at home. I cut them in half and use them in place of more traditional toppings.
Alicia
I'm with Oraphan, can't wait to see your healthy baked falafel recipe :)
ReplyDeleteI love grain salads, and I always default to cracked wheat. I should try some of your other suggestions.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThanks! That is very nice of you to say. I tend to just toss things into a bowl, which is why I haven't posted the recipe yet (I don't measure). But the next time I make them I will measure. Promise.
Bulgur (cracked wheat) makes a great salad. I try to vary the grains for the different micronutrients. But, I agree with you I could easily overdo the bulgur.
Alicia
Thanks, Alicia! I can't wait for the recipe of your baked falafel!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! I'm wondering, do you buy fresh or packaged spinach, is it organic and do you rinse it? And in general, do you rinse your fruits & veggies with just water, or add anything else like vinegar?
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteGreat questions. I will cover them one at a time.
When I am buying produce my preferences are in this order: 1) local and organic from our CSA, 2) local from known farmers, 3) organic from the store, 4) conventional. During the winter we don't get any local produce so I buy mostly organic from the grocery store.
Being a little OCD, I always wash my produce. For things like greens I soak them for a few minutes in a water and white vinegar solution. Then I rinse again in fresh water to remove any vinegar residue.
For thick skinned produce I use baking soda and a brush to lightly scrub the produce and then rinse thoroughly.
Thanks for the question. How do you handle fresh produce at your house?
Alicia
Lately I've been washing greens, grapes and berries with water and vinegar. I only wash pre-bagged greens about 50% of the time, although I know it should be done. For other fruits and veggies, I generally just "rinse and rub". I hadn't thought about using baking soda, that seems like a good idea.
ReplyDeletei have to try these out!!
ReplyDelete