Sweet and Salty Bulgur and Cauliflower Salad {Recipe Redux}

This month’s topic for Recipe Redux, a group of registered dietitians who write a blog post about a healthy recipe all on a single theme, is all about whole grains. Exotic grains were encouraged for the recipes, but instead, I chose a common pantry staple—bulgur wheat—and added some out of the ordinary flavors.

Bulgur is traditionally reserved for tabbouleh, the lemony parsley and grain salad recipe that everyone has memorized they’ve made it so often. I love the hearty flavor and chewy texture of bulgur, but wanted to do something completely different with it.

For crunch (and because it is so incredibly beautiful at the farmers’ market this time of year), I added finely chopped raw cauliflower (done in the food processor; quick and easy), for sweetness, I used golden raisins plumped in warm orange juice, and for a bit of salty tang, I threw in a handful of chopped green olives. It all came together to make a salad that has humble ingredients but fantastic flavor.  Scroll to the end of the recipe for links to more healthy grain recipes from my fellow Recipe Reduxers.

Sweet and Salty Bulgur and Cauliflower Salad

Serves 6

2/3 cup water

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup fine grind bulgur wheat

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 of a small head of cauliflower (about 12 ounces for 1/2 a head), trimmed and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 large green olives, pitted and chopped

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the bulgur. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the orange juice to a simmer in another small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the raisins. Cover and let stand until cool.

Place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (be careful not to over process, you don’t want it pureed).

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, cumin, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the bulgur and the raisin mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the olives and parsley. You can serve the salad at once, or cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

Each serving: 18 g carbohydrate, 123 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein, 109 mg sodium

Carb Choices: 1; Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat

Grilled Prosciutto Shrimp with Asian Dipping Sauce

This is my first post that's part of a brand new network of dietitans who believe flavor comes first. We call ourselves the Recipe Redux and every month we'll be creating recipes on a single theme and linking to each others' blog posts. Check out all the links at the bottom of this recipe for more great-tasting, good-for-you summer grilling ideas.

I love kebabs. They make any meal look like you went to more trouble than you did. There’s something about putting food on a skewer that elevates it to a special occasion (even a marshmallow on twig!).

These kebabs are extra nice because the large shrimp are each wrapped in a little strip of salty prosciutto and then they’re alternated on the skewers with sweet peaches. The marinade and dipping sauce is a sweet/salty/spicy Asian-inspired mixture made from ordinary pantry ingredients. I call for peaches or nectarines in the recipe, but you could also use cubes of cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, or pineapple.

When you shop, look for wild or farmed shrimp from the United States. They may be a little more pricey than the imported ones, but most shrimp imported from other countries are farmed with lenient environmental regulations.

While you’re grilling the kebabs, throw some quick-cooking veggies on the grill to serve with them. Sliced yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers or small whole mushrooms are all good low-carb options. This is an easy, delicious meal that lets you do what people were meant to do this time of year: sit back and enjoy summer.

Grilled Prosciutto Shrimp with Asian Dipping Sauce

Makes 4 servings

1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp (about 24 shrimp)

2 ounces prosciutto, cut into 24 thin strips

4 small peaches or nectarines, pitted and cut into wedges  

3 tablespoons orange juice or unsweetened apple juice

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 clove garlic, crushed through a garlic press

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Wrap each shrimp with a strip of prosciutto. Thread the shrimp and peaches alternately onto 8 (6-8 inch) metal skewers and place in a large shallow dish.

Stir together the orange juice, soy sauce, molasses, oil, garlic, and cayenne in a small bowl. Drizzle the skewers with 2 tablespoons of the orange juice mixture and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Set aside the remaining orange juice mixture to serve as a dipping sauce with the shrimp.

Preheat a grill to medium heat. Place the skewers on the grill and grill until the shrimp are opaque, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Each serving: 18 g carbohydrate, 216 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 183 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein, 777 mg sodium

Carb Choices: 1; Exchanges: 1 fruit, 3 lean protein

Here is a list of the grilling creations of my fellow registered dietitian Recipe Reduxers:
Alexandra Caspero
Grilled Summer Fruit Salad
Alysa Bajenaru – Inspired RD
Grilled Romaine Salad
Cindy Brison
Nutrition Know How
Chef Pandita
Grilled Vegetables
Danielle Omar – Food Confidence
Grilled Sweet Peppers
Diane Welland – EatWellEatClean
Grilled Beet & Onion Salad with Goat Cheese
The Nutrition Budgeteer
Dr Barb’s Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
EA Stewart – The Spicy RD
Grilled Polenta Veggie Stacks with Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes
Emma Stirling – The Scoop on Nutrition
Char Siu BBQ Pork
Gretchen – Kumquat
Grilled Tandoori Chicken Skewers
Jessica Fishman Levinson – Nutritioulicious
Grilled Salmon Burgers with Cherry Chutney
Kat Lynch – Eating The Week
Portobello mushrooms stuffed with spiced couscous
Katie Caputo- East Meats West
Succulent Sirloin Kabobs
Kristen – Swanky Dietitian
Portabella Mushroom Burgers with Grilled Corn
Lisa – Healthful Sense
Grilled Veggie Bean Burgers
Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex – Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen
Mushroom Burgers with the Works, Mushroom Cannellini Spread
Marie Spano
Italian Grilled Turkey Burgers
Nicole Ferring Holovach – Whole Health RD
Grilled Eggs
Rebecca Scritchfield – MeFirst
Grilled Plantains: A Sweet Summer Side Dish
Regan – The Professional Palate
Grilled Eggplant & Two-Tomato Whole-Wheat Piadina
Serena – Teaspoon of Spice
Grilled Watermelon Salad