Elle_Ann
214/365
Take me on a picnic, please.
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Bulgur, Feta & Mint Salad
from: Mrs. Cook’s Kitchen - Basic & Beyond
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation: 20 to 25 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
This salad features the flavors of Greece that blend so well together. The tangy saltiness of the crumbled feta goes perfectly with the cool mint and the nutty, chewy bulgur.
1 cup (250 mL) bulgur
2 cups (500 mL) boiling water [I did not add salt to the water though the recipe calls for it]
3 tbsp (45 mL) fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow bell (sweet) pepper, seed, quartered & finely sliced
1 medium tomato, seeded & diced
4 radishes, trimmed & thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (50 mL) pitted & halved black olives
4 oz (120 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped fresh mint leaves
In a saucepan, add bulgur to the boiling water, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Place the bulgur in a bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. Leave to coll for 10 minutes. Add the green pepper, tomato with the juice, radishes, onions, olives & feta cheese. Stir in half the mint leaves. Garnish with remaining mint.
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Notes:
This flavourful salad provides protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates, monounsaturated fat, and a plethora of other nutrients, particularly vitamin C. Rather than count the calories, I like to think of it as nutrient-dense, satisfying, and a source of 3 out of 4 food groups.
The dietitian in me has to acknowledge that yes, feta is a salty cheese, so be sure to balance it with low sodium choices at the rest of the day’s meals. The daily Adequate Intake (AI) for sodium is 1200 to 1500 mg/day for healthy adults, decreasing with age. The Tolerable Upper Limit (UL) for health for sodium is 2300 mg/day. A serving of this salad (about 3/4 cup) provides 253 mg of sodium, or a little over 10% of the UL. So all in all, not terribly high.
Three tasty rules-of-thumb for cutting down on sodium: 1) Eat fresh 2) Avoid processed foods 3) Season with herbs & spices.
Next time I make this salad I’m going to try legumes (e.g., chickpeas, canellini) instead of feta.
214/365
Take me on a picnic, please.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bulgur, Feta & Mint Salad
from: Mrs. Cook’s Kitchen - Basic & Beyond
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation: 20 to 25 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
This salad features the flavors of Greece that blend so well together. The tangy saltiness of the crumbled feta goes perfectly with the cool mint and the nutty, chewy bulgur.
1 cup (250 mL) bulgur
2 cups (500 mL) boiling water [I did not add salt to the water though the recipe calls for it]
3 tbsp (45 mL) fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow bell (sweet) pepper, seed, quartered & finely sliced
1 medium tomato, seeded & diced
4 radishes, trimmed & thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (50 mL) pitted & halved black olives
4 oz (120 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped fresh mint leaves
In a saucepan, add bulgur to the boiling water, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Place the bulgur in a bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. Leave to coll for 10 minutes. Add the green pepper, tomato with the juice, radishes, onions, olives & feta cheese. Stir in half the mint leaves. Garnish with remaining mint.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
This flavourful salad provides protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates, monounsaturated fat, and a plethora of other nutrients, particularly vitamin C. Rather than count the calories, I like to think of it as nutrient-dense, satisfying, and a source of 3 out of 4 food groups.
The dietitian in me has to acknowledge that yes, feta is a salty cheese, so be sure to balance it with low sodium choices at the rest of the day’s meals. The daily Adequate Intake (AI) for sodium is 1200 to 1500 mg/day for healthy adults, decreasing with age. The Tolerable Upper Limit (UL) for health for sodium is 2300 mg/day. A serving of this salad (about 3/4 cup) provides 253 mg of sodium, or a little over 10% of the UL. So all in all, not terribly high.
Three tasty rules-of-thumb for cutting down on sodium: 1) Eat fresh 2) Avoid processed foods 3) Season with herbs & spices.
Next time I make this salad I’m going to try legumes (e.g., chickpeas, canellini) instead of feta.