You won’t miss the meat in this delicious bulgur bowl! Last week, while I was perusing my recipe binder and planning the new week’s dinner menu, I ran across an old favorite from Cooking Light – Tex-Mex Rice Bowl. I decided to make a meatless version to rev up the nutritional value.
In this new whole food, plant-based version, two cans of organic beans provide plenty of protein and fiber, while the bulgur wheat, with its meaty chew, stands in nicely for both rice and ground beef. I love how the juicy, fresh tomato and crunchy sweet corn brighten it up. Minced, fresh jalapeno provides nice pops of heat, not too much.
I’ve discovered several reasons to take bulgur beyond traditional Tabbouleh more often. Unlike rice, it has very little inorganic arsenic. It has a healthy balance of fat, fiber and protein (yes, grains provide protein!) And it cooks up just as fast as white rice.
This meal comes together in a snap, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning (see link above to make your own)
- 1/2 cup canned crispy corn with peppers (or frozen whole kernel corn)
- 1 15 oz. can black beans (organic, drained and rinsed)
- 1 15 oz. can pinto beans (organic, drained and rinsed)
- 1 plum tomato diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely diced
- 1/8-1/4 cup red onion diced
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Rinse the bulgur in a fine sieve under running cold water, and combine in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain well and place in a large bowl.
- While bulgur is cooking, chop your tomato, jalapeno, onion and cilantro. Drain and rinse the beans.
- Combine all ingredients and stir well to evenly distribute the taco seasoning. Serve with wedges of lime and top with diced avocado if desired.
** This is also delicious served on top of a bed of crispy romaine lettuce as a salad. To make a gluten-free version, substitute quinoa for the bulgur.
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