Bulgur, Bean, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

I spent the past week vacationing with my husband, Pete, and 13-month old son, Elliott, in a summer cottage on Cape Cod. Cooking while you are on vacation is different. Because you usually don't have a stocked pantry, you have to start with a full shopping trip to get even the most basic of ingredients, such as olive oil and butter. You also want to keep meals extra simple--after all, who wants to spend hours in the kitchen when everyone else is out enjoying the sun? So when my mom, who was coming to visit for a couple of days, offered to bring along some home cooked food, I didn't object!

When my mom arrived, I helped her unpack a basket of goodies that included homemade cardamom "bullar" (a type of Swedish sweet roll), fresh bread, oven-roasted turkey, salad greens from her garden, and a bulgur and bean salad. I was so curious about this bulgur and bean salad that I had to try a little sample before dinner. It was delicious and a perfect summer food. The beans helped make the salad hearty enough for a vegetarian entree and the sun-dried tomatoes added a punch of flavor. Since I'm always looking for new ways of incorporating whole grains into my recipes, I decided to recreate the salad for CooksAid.

The salad I ultimately created was very similiar to my mom's, except she served hers with pesto sauce, and to keep things simple (and on the lighter side), I just mixed in a bunch of fresh basil in mine. Whether you are looking for a dish to bring to a summer barbecue, a refreshing summer dinner, or want to incorporate more whole grains into your diet, this is a recipe to try:

Bulgur, Bean, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

Servings: 4

2 cups water
1 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup basil, chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a medium pot, add water and bulgur. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 minutes, or until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender.

2. In a large bowl, combine bulgur, beans, tomatoes, onion, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information
(For 1/4 of recipe) 330 calories; 53 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 6.5 g fat (0 g sat); 12 g fiber; 355 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 starches; 1 very lean meat substitute; 1 fat.

Side suggestions: Spinach and feta salad. Drizzle 4 cups baby spinach with 4 teaspoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar; toss to combine. Top with crumbled feta. Crusty bread.

--posted by Maria--