Middle Eastern Bulgur-Spinach Salad

Can you believe that in just a few days it will be December?? The weather here is in that really weird stage..it was in the 30s this morning, but 70s by afternoon. How am I supposed to dress for that?? I bundle up in a sweater, jeans, and boots to leave the house, and then feel like a fool when I walk outside after work. I love you Texas, but make decision...cold or not! As much as I dislike the cold, it seems very odd that we are still hitting near-80 degree temps this late in the year. It should at least be down to the 60s by now.

 

 

Maybe I can blame the weird weather for my lack of motivation to cook or bake at all lately. Maybe not. Whatever the cause, I'm back in action now and I have some great recipes coming! I'm always on the lookout for a new delicious salad, and while rummaging through my cabinet of cookbooks I ran across one just for salads!! So, I started flipping through the pages and marking the ones I wanted to try. I've also been trying to incorporated more meatless meals into my rotation, so this one fit the bill perfectly.

 

 

I had never had bulgur before, but it's a small grain like quinoa, and I love quinoa so I knew it had to be good. And the apples gave a nice crunchy texture to an otherwise "soft" salad. The dressing was delicious, and it was overall a great lunch salad! I might try adding some grilled chicken next time...just because ;)

Middle Eastern Bulgur-Spinach Salad
Source: Better Homes & Gardens Quick-Toss Salad Meals

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup red wine vinaigrette
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 6 cups torn fresh spinach
• 1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup coarsely chopped red apple

Preparation

1. Cook the bulgur according to the package instructions and set aside. 
2. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, red wine vinaigrette, parsley, and cumin in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl combine the spinach, bulgur, chickpeas and apples. Add dressing and toss to coat.
4. Divide among serving bowls and enjoy!