Day 26 - Squash and Bulger salad

Bulgur is an ancient grain.  In fact, making wheat into bulgur is an ancient process that riginated in the Mediterranean region and has been an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine for thousands of years. It is described as man's first "processed food." In approximately 2,800 B.C., the Chinese emperor Shen Nung declared it one of five sacred crops along with rice, millet, barley and soybeans. Biblical references indicate it was prepared by ancient Babylonians, Hittites and Hebrew populations some 4,000 years ago, and Arab, Israeli, Egyptian, and Roman civilizations record eating dried cooked wheat as early as 1,000 B.C. (see http://www.sunnylandmills.com/bulgur_wheat_history.shtml for additional details about Bulgur).

Heat and humidity…the enemy of appetite.  This is a very light salad, that is easy to make and very delicious.  I chose bulgur because I wanted a "good" carb.  The dressing, just lemon juice and olive oil gives this salad a very tabbouleh like taste. I added a few elements to bulk it up a little bit, but the goal was to beat the heat.  All in all, a good summer alternative.

Squash and Bulgur Salad

1 cup Bulgur
1 1/2 cups boiling water

2 medium squash
1 ripe tomato
1 cucumber
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 lemon
2 T Olive Oil
pinch of salt

Mix the Bulgur with the boiling water.  Set aside to cool.  Once the bulgur is completely cool, start the rest of the salad.

Peel and take the seeds out of the cucumber.  Cut the cucumber, squash and tomato into 1/4 inch pieces.  Add the vegetables to the cooled bulgur.   Slice the olives, chop the parsley.  Add them to the salad.

For the dressing, juice the lemon directly into the salad.  Take care not to let any seeds get into the mix. Slowly add the olive oil and mix everything very well.  Taste and add salt to taste.  Set in the fridge and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

This salad actually gets better with time.  For variety, you can add red pepper, feta cheese, use halved cheery tomatoes, or add in a little green onion.  Serve this as a side dish, or with a little pita bread.

Reviews:  Well liked by everyone.  A hit all around.