I’ve adapted the recipe a little bit to what I’ve had on hand — this, after all, is the beauty of a grain bowl, right? — but here are the essential components:
- An assertive dressing. I tend to dress everything with olive oil and vinegar, but Volger’s mix of lemon, tahini, garlic, and cumin is a nice change, and it complements the bulgur and lentils so well — slightly creamy, slightly smokey, slightly tangy. I recommend making a double batch, which will give you 1 1/2 cups of dressing to use all week.
- A mix of grains and legumes. Cooking two starches always feels too much like hard work — what’s wrong with using one? — but the additional textures and flavors supplied by one more really makes for a more interesting overall bowl. Also, there are many quick-cooking grains and legumes that don’t require soaking. Bulgur steams in about 15 minutes. Lentils cook in 25. I plan on trying quinoa next.
- Vegetables. We are in constant supply of cucumbers and tomatoes at the moment, so that’s what I’ve been using, but use what you have on hand. The first night, I added sautéed chard.
- Herbs: cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, chives are all good options.
- Nuts: We always have sliced almonds on hand, and if you toast a big batch of them, you can use them over the coarse of several days. That’s it! There’s no additional protein — this bowl, which is surprisingly filling, doesn’t need it — and when you have some of the components prepared ahead of time, the assembly happens quickly: scoop bulgur and lentils into bowls, top with cucumbers and tomatoes, top with cilantro and toasted almonds, drizzle with lemon-tahini dressing. My mother recently introduced me to this Achva tahini, which is very nice: This version included sautéed Swiss chard: Have you been glued to the tv? I enlisted a very talented friend to make these cookies for a get together. How cute? I need a lesson. 5 from 2 reviews
