Bulgar Wheat Salad

This is a yummy “kitchen sink” kind of salad that I took to a party on Friday night. A few lovely souls asked for the recipe so here it is… with a few modifications and options! Because I just can’t leave “well enough” alone.

1 cup medium grain Bulgar wheat (located in Big B at the end of the cereal aisle)
2 ½ cups of water
2 vegetarian bouillon cubes or 1 veg/1 garlic onion bouillon cube
1 large head of broccoli florets – cut small
1 can Waitrose organic plum tomatoes (if you’re in the states, obviously use fresh!)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (I used shelled sunflower seeds on Friday but pumpkin seeds rule)
½ cup Mediterranean style Feta cheese

Options: I made this again on Sunday and added ½ cup dried green split peas and two tablespoons of chopped hot peppers (to be found below the pickles in Big Big). If you want to add a legume like green or yellow split peas or any type of lentil, just rinse them and get them into a pan with boiling water before you do anything else. Any of these varieties will be ready to add into the salad right on time! Don’t cook your legumes to mush – keep an eye taste test frequently.

Preheat the oven to 350 and then place the raw pumpkin seeds on a cookie sheet and spray with a little non-stick spray and a bit of kosher or sea salt. Let them toast in the oven until golden and puffed up. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Get the water and bouillon cubes onto medium heat in a large pan with lid. Place the broccoli in the water once the cubes have dissolved. When the water is just below a boil, add the bulgar wheat and cover. Let the bulgar come to a boil for approximately 3 minutes and then turn off the heat and walk away.

In the meantime, drain and rinse the plum tomatoes before a rough dice. Once the bulgar has absorbed the water, add the tomatoes and fluff everything with a fork.

Allow the bulgar to cool a bit and then add the feta and pumpkin seeds.

Delish! (add that too if you have it!)