Bulgur on Soupy Asian Veggies

I did a Veggie Fact of the Day post yesterday to talk about my New Veggie #71 - Bulgur. I've had the Indian version of bulgur all my life (it's more golden, vs. the dark brown color I found here in the US). In India, it is usually made as a thick sweet porridge that is typically eaten for breakfast, but I always liked it best after it had been chilled in the fridge for a few hours. Here in the US, bulgur is more commonly used as a side dish and as a savory cereal, and that's how I decided to try it this time. It is an excellent low-glycemic white rice replacement and since Tony doesn't enjoy brown rice, I'm always looking for other whole grains that can be used instead. 

Bulgur on Soupy Asian Veggies

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup dry Bulgur
2. 2 cups Home-made Vegetable Broth (or water)
3. Salt, to taste

Ingredients (Serves 4) for Soupy Asian Vegetables:

1. 15 oz No-Salt Diced Tomatoes (canned)
2. 1 x 12 oz frozen Edamame
3. 1/2 cup Frozen Green Beans
4. 8-10 White Mushrooms, sliced
5. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste 
6. 1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
7. 1 tbsp Brown Miso
8. 3 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
9. 1 cup Water
10. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Pressure cook bulgur and vegetable broth, under high pressure, for 8-10 minutes, in an electric pressure cooker. Or for the same time in a stove-top. If you don't own a pressure cooker, bring the bulgur and vegetable broth to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer, partially cover the pan and let simmer until all excess liquid has evaporated and the bulgur tastes nice chewy :) For the Soupy Asian Vegetables, mix everything in one pan, bring to a boil and then allow to simmer until bulgur is done. I'm not sure whether or not bulgur is traditionally eaten in the Far East. I just used it here as a substitute to rice. I really enjoyed the texture of bulgur (as did Tony), so it is definitely going on our rotation. 

Nutrition Facts (Per 1/4 cup Serving of Bulgur*): Calories 150 (Fat Calories 4)

Total Fat 0.3 g; Carbohydrates 32.0 g; Fiber 4.0 g; Sugars 0.0 g; Protein 4.0 g

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving*): Calories 188 (Fat Calories 42)
Total Fat 4.7 g; Carbohydrates 17.3 g; Fiber 9.4 g; Sugars 4.5 g; Protein 13.7 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary a lot.

Tips for Leftovers:

1.  One of the suggestions I've gotten, but not tried yet, is to use bulgur as a replacement for TVP in tacos and other dishes. Will definitely be giving that one a try!!