1 pound bulgar
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup finely chopped flatleaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the bulgar in a large bowl and cover with boiling water, let stand 15 minutes and drain. Brush the onion slices on both sides with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill on both sides until almost cooked through, remove and coarsely chop. Place the bulgar in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

1/2 box (14 oz.) quick-cooking brown rice, or 3 cups cooked brown rice, or whole-grain pasta, bulgur, or quinoa
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut in bite-size pieces
1/2 tomato, seeded, cut into bite-size pieces (optional)
1/4 cup chopped radish
2 scallions (1/4 cup), green and white parts, or 1/4 cup chopped red or Bermuda onion
1/4 cup finely chopped dried fruit, like apricots, raisins, dates, figs, currants
2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts, sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds, or chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans
3-4 oz. diced low-fat mozzarella cheese
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh (or 2 tsp.dried) chives or flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. finely chopped (or 2 tsp. dried) fresh mint, cilantro, or chervil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, if desired

Cook brown rice or other whole grain according to package directions. (If using quinoa, rinse well before cooking to ensure bitter-tasting coating is removed.) Let cooked grains cool completely before adding to salad. Meanwhile, in a large bowl place bell pepper, tomato, radish, scallions, dried fruit, nuts (or seeds) and cheese. Mix lightly with fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper, as desired.

When cooked grain is cool, fluff with fork and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to bowl of salad ingredients, mixing lightly with fork. Into small container with tight-fitting lid, pour juice, oil and herbs. Seal tightly and shake well until combined. Add to salad and mix to combine with fork. Serve or pack into plastic containers. Refrigerated, leftovers will keep 2 days.
Makes About 4 cups or 4 servings.

from The American Institute for Cancer Research

2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups coarse bulgur
4 cups chicken broth
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound sliced bacon, chopped
12 cups baby spinach (8 ounces), trimmed
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Recipe Directions
Cook onion in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

Add bulgur, broth, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until bulgur is tender and creamy (like risotto), about 20 minutes.

While bulgur is simmering, cook bacon in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, then drain on paper towels.

Stir spinach into bulgur until wilted, then stir in Parmesan, half of bacon, and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve “risotto” sprinkled with remaining bacon.

1 pound bulgar
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup finely chopped flatleaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Recipe Directions
Place the bulgar in a large bowl and cover with boiling water, let stand 15 minutes and drain. Brush the onion slices on both sides with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill on both sides until almost cooked through, remove and coarsely chop. Place the bulgar in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

3/4 cup wheat bulgur, available in rice section of your market
1 cup boiling water
2 ripe lemons, juiced
1 cup parsley leaves, 1 bunch, chopped
1/2 cup mint leaves, 1/2 bunch, chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the bowl in a slow stream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large vine ripe tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes

Recipe Directions
In a bowl, cover bulgar with boiling water and stir. Cover the bowl place it in the refrigerator or counter top. Let the bulgar stand 20 minutes to soften. Add lemon juice, parsley, mint, scallions, plum tomato to the bulgar and toss to combine. Dress the salad with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, to your taste.

To serve, cut tomatoes into quarters, but do not allow the knife to go all the way through the tomato. Section the tomatoes, but leave the skin in tact on the bottom. Open the tomato up to resemble an open flower. Season the tomatos with salt and pepper and pile a generous amount of tabbouleh salad on top of the tomato, allowing the salad to spill down and over the wedges of tomato on to the plate.

1 1/2 cups fine bulgur (available in most supermarkets or in natural food shops)
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
3 medium oranges
1/3 cup olive oil
4 scallions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup raisins
Salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe Directions
In a large bowl combine bulgur, water, lemon juice, and orange juice and rind. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let mixture stand, at room temperature, until liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Fluff mixture with a fork.

While bulgar is soaking, with a serrated knife, cut away peel and pith from oranges. Cut sections free from membranes and add to bulgur with remaining ingredients. Season salad with salt and pepper, stirring well. Let salad stand, covered, for 30 minutes before serving.

For Shell:
2 baking potatoes, like russets, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

For Crust:
1 cup bulghur
1 cup hot water
1 orange
1 lemon
1 bunch thyme
1/2 cup walnuts
2 teaspoons garlic
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Recipe Directions
Brush 4 gratin dishes with olive oil, arrange potatoes in the dishes, brush them with olive oil and season. Then prebake 5 to 6 minutes at 400 degrees. Prepare filling by sauteeing the vegetables and aromatics in olive oil until lightly caramelized. Stir in the ras el hanout and cook until strongly aromatic. Add wine and raisins and reduce until moist but not liquidy. Lightly wilt in spinach, adjust seasoning and fill in shells.

Prepare crust by steeping bulghur with hot water then flavoring with citrus, walnuts toasted with garlic and olive oil. Season and mound over filling.

Bake all 12 minutes at 375 degrees

1 cup dried lentils
1/2 onion, cut in half
2 3/4 cups plus 6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup coarse bulgar
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt
8 pitas
1 roasted chicken, bones and skin removed, meat shredded
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded

Recipe Directions
. Heat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, onion, the 2 3/4 cups water, the oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the bulgar and continue cooking, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and bulgar are just done, about 12 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the Tabasco sauce, and let sit, partially covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the onion and the bay leaf.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the tahini, the remaining 6 tablespoons water, the garlic, the lemon juice, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the yogurt.

3. Wrap the pitas in aluminum foil and warm them in the oven, about 10 minutes.

4. Cut the top third off of each pita. Spoon 1/4 cup of the lentil mixture into each pita. Divide half the chicken and tomatoes among the pitas and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the sauce. Top with half the lettuce. Repeat. Serve with the remaining sauce.

Wine Recommendation: You need a straightforward wine that won’t compete but will be gulpable enough to prepare the palate for the next hot bite. Try a chenin blanc or a white zinfandel from California.

Yield: 4

1/3 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 onion (1/2 lb.), chopped
2 carrots (1/2 lb. total), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup brown rice
2 3/4 cups beef or chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry or water
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
Salt and pepper

Recipe Directions
1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan, stir nuts often over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes; pour from pan.
2. Turn heat to medium-high and add butter, onion, carrots, garlic, and parsley to pan. Stir often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.

3. Add barley and rice. Stir often until barley is lightly browned, about 4 minutes.

4. Add broth, sherry, basil, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in bulgur, cover, and simmer until grains are tender to bite, about 15 minutes longer.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour pilaf into a bowl and garnish with toasted nuts.

Yield: Makes 4 1/2 cups