This week I share with you another grain – the sibling of cracked wheat, bulgur!

Although you might not have heard of bulgar, if you have eaten Turkish food, you’ve had it.

This Middle Eastern staple sounds more exotic than it is: bulgur merely what’s left after wheat kernels have been steamed, dried and crushed. This cereal grain has been a culinary staple for years in some parts of the world because it offers an inexpensive source of low-fat protein, making it a wonderfully nutritious addition to your low-calorie meal plan.

High in fiber and protein and low in fat and calories, bulgur offers bulk and nutrients to fill you up without adding pounds. A cup of bulgur has fewer calories, less fat and more than twice the fiber of brown rice! Although bulgur doesn’t have all the amino acids to be a complete protein, it does when mixed with lentils. Yum!

So where can you buy bulgur? Arrowhead Mills, Near East and Sadif brands all get theirs from Sunnyland Mills, as does Whole Foods. Check the eastern foods or grain sections.

You can like brown rice and steel-cut oatmeal, but you’ll fall in love with bulgur! It’s an ancient grain for modern times, as it’s so good for you but cooks up fast. Some people have it in the morning instead of oatmeal. In fact, in Turkey restaurants serve bulgur and lentil soup around the clock.

Our recipe this week is a great side dish for almost any occasion or entrée. Some people have used brown rice to substitute for bulgur, but I get enough brown rice in my diet. Be sure not to overcook the peppers, and I like it with a little more fresh lemon juice than the recipe calls for. Enjoy and have fun in the kitchen!

Cook time: One hour

Yield 4 servings, 1 serving equals 1 cup pilaf

Ingredients

Directions

Place lentils and 2 cups broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and most liquid is dissolved, about 30 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. While lentils are cooking, place bulgur and remaining 2 cups chicken broth in another small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is dissolved and bulgur is tender, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the bulgur to the lentils.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook until peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture to bulgur-lentil mixture. Stir in parsley, basil, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to incorporate.

Nutritional value per serving:

Calories 300; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat. Fat 1.5 g, Mono. Fat 5 g, Poly. Fat 1.5 g); Protein 15 g; Carb. 47 g; Fiber 11 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 370 mg.

Excellent source of: protein, fiber, niacin, vitamin C, vitamin K, Manganese

Good source of: vitamin B6, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium