Mint may play a supporting role here, but this cooling herb adds immeasurable brightness to anything it touches. Here the mint is combined with lemon, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes to create a vibrantly flavored salad with the nutty-tasting bulgur at its base. Serve this salad on its own, or spoon it into large lettuce leaves to create a tasty hands-on salad wrap.
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup bulgur
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 In a medium bowl, prepare an ice-water bath by filling the bowl with ice and water.
2 Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and blanch for 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli and transfer it to the ice bath, retaining the cooking water over the heat. Once cool, after about 3 minutes, drain the ice and water. Set the broccoli aside.
3 Add the bulgur to the hot water, remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain, pressing the bulgur with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture.
4 In a medium bowl, toss the broccoli, bulgur, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil. Serve immediately.
Ingredient tip: Bulgur can go rancid quickly, so buy only what you will use in the near future. If possible, smell it for freshness before purchasing, and store it in the refrigerator.
Per Serving Calories: 156; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrates: 24g; Fiber: 7g; Protein: 6g; Phosphorus: 101mg; Potassium: 315mg; Sodium: 21mg