Healthy Tomato and Bulgur Salad

I love entertaining, and despite being a genie in the kitchen, I really don't want to be spending hours sweating away from my guests. Therefore I plan the menu carefully, I choose dishes that I can prepare ahead of time and just do final; touches before serving and I prefer recipes I can bake in the oven. Planning carefully relieves the stress of hosting and makes having guests a more enjoyable experience.

This salad is a staple when I have big gatherings and parties because it is effortless to prepare, cheap, delicious, healthy and tastes better when made a day ahead.

Hosting a casual summer gathering is so easy to achieve, even for the novice cook. Simple is always the best way to proceed. To avoid this, here are a few tips:

· Choose to present a small number of dishes using the finest quality ingredients.

· Make sure dishes are closely related, so the shopping is minimal, and there is no waste.

· Create a menu with dishes you can realistically achieve ahead of time and take minimal time to finish.

· Try to accomplish as much prep the day before.

· One or two hot dishes and several cold dishes for a summer spread should suffice.

· Present foods in bowls or platters that relate to the food you have prepared; it adds a WOW factor to the table.

· Prepare your best dishes and my final advise is never to attempt to prepare something you have never tried before to avoid an unpleasant surprise.

This salad is straightforward to prepare, zesty and delicious. There is no creativity here, I chose this to remind you that simple is easy and yummy and it is scrummy addition to your table. Have a look into my delicious salads on the blog HERE

Some are not sure what Bulgur is, so if you are one of them, please keep reading:

Bulgur, or cracked wheat as known to the West, is whole grain wheat that has been present in the Levantine and Turkish cuisine for millennia. The food of the region is derived from what the land produced, in the Levants, wheat has always been the main crop, grown around the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers region; hence it has always been the main ingredient cherished in our cuisine.

This dish can be achieved using any grain, but bulgur gives it a distinctive nutty flavour. I highly recommend Bulgur as part of your diet as Bulgur is very healthy, low in calories and helps in weight loss as it maintains the sense of being full for a more extended period compared to other foods. It has a low glycaemic index GI which helps regulate blood sugar, high in fibre which improves the digestive system, not to mention its richness in iron, magnesium, thiamine. This salad is a diabetic-friendly dish (please read notes below).

Servings: 5

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely diced onion

1 medium finely diced bell pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon hot or sweet pepper paste or harissa paste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup fine bulgur

1 1/2 cups water

2 diced cucumbers

15 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup finely chopped parsley

1 cup finely chopped scallion or green onions

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (pignolia)

100 grams feta cheese, optional

Method:

· Heat the olive oil in a medium pot and sauté the diced onions and peppers for 2 minutes.

· Add the pepper paste and tomato paste and fry for a further few minutes.

· Add all the spices and water, adjust the salt to your liking.

· Add the bulgur and water. When it reaches the boil, remove the pot from the fire. Cover with the lid until liquid is absorbed by the bulgur.

· Turn on a plate to cool.

· Once cooled, add all the other vegetables, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and drizzle the molasses.

· Top with crumbled feta cheese or any topping you fancy.

Notes:

· You can use coarse bulgur, but need to cook it until liquid evaporates. Add 2 cups water per 1 cup coarse bulgur.

· You can use quinoa but cook it in the sauce adding 1 cup quinoa to 1 1/3 cup liquid or so.

· You can add any cheese or topping you fancy or Omit for a vegan recipe.

· Use balsamic glaze if you can’t find pomegranate molasses.

· For diabetic people add more vegetables for a balanced meal.

Per Serving: 332 Calories; 17g Fat (43.0% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 941mg Sodium.