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--

Grilled Steak Salad (with Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette)

This week's recipe, Grilled Steak Salad, was inspired by the perfect weather we are finally having in New England. As a girl who grew up in Texas, I welcomed the milder, shorter summers when I first moved to Boston. But after living here for five years and spending this past winter cooped up inside with our new baby, Mia, I found myself dreaming of the hot sun, flip flops, sunscreen, and warm skin.

Cut to summer. It is the end of June, and it finally looks like good weather is upon us. For my husband, Kevin, and me, that means getting out on the grill and eating all of our meals on the deck.

What to cook? When creating this recipe, I was attempting to "summerize" my go-to meal at my favorite restaurant: Abe and Louie's salad and a nice steak (not to mention a good bottle of red wine). That's what inspired this recipe. It received rave reviews from Kevin, and I think the bleu cheese vinaigrette could be my signature dressing:

Grilled Steak Salad

Servings: 2

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 + 2 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese
½ pound top loin (strip) steak, visible fat removed
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ small red onion, chopped

1. Prepare vinaigrette by whisking together mustard, vinegar, oil, 2 tablespoons bleu cheese, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare outdoor or indoor grill.
3. Season steak with salt and pepper, and grill 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness of steak and desired degree of doneness. Let cool slightly then slice into ½-inch strips.
4. Toss together lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. Arrange steak slices on top of salad, drizzle with vinaigrette, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bleu cheese.

Nutrition Information
(For ½ of recipe) 440 calories; 8 g carbohydrate; 39 g protein; 28 g fat (8.5 g sat); 3 g fiber; 385 mg sodium. Exchanges: 4 fats; 3.5 vegetables; 3 lean meats.

Serving suggestion: Warm dinner rolls or breadsticks.

--posted by Krisha--