Warm Bulgur Bowl with Carrots, Chickpeas & Kale

It's turned a tad chilly again, but it is not cold enough for super heavy dishes to be on rotation. This bulgur bowl is a great "in between" choice! It has heft from the bulgur (quite easily my favorite whole grain), great filling fats from the avocado-tahini dressing, and wonderful flavors! Adding just a touch of turmeric gives the dish a yellow glow and sets off the Middle Eastern inspired combination of parsley and chickpeas.

Want to hear about my favorite sustainable crop? Chickpeas. Why? Because they act as a natural fertilizer! Chickpeas demand less water than other popular nitrogen fixing crops and when harvested, the plant material left releases the remaining nitrogen in the plant back to the soil for next year's crop. Which means? Less use and reliance on synthetic nitrogen (aka - fertilizers). Chickpeas are also great for vegan health; protein-rich. Interested in learning more? Check out this NPR article: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/10/739054484/your-hummus-habit-could-be-good-for-the-earth.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup dried bulgur (rinsed)

• 1.5 tbsp avocado oil (for the pan)

• 2-3 garlic cloves (diced)

• 1 extra large carrot (peeled and chopped); ~2 cups

• 1 (15-oz) can garbanzo / chickpeas - rinsed & drained (Goya brand for maximum flavor!)

• 1/2 bunch lacinato kale (chopped); ~4-5 cups

• 1/4 red onion (finely diced)

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or stock)

• handful of fresh parsley (chopped)

• salt & pepper to taste

• Avocado-Tahini Dressing:

  • 1 ripe avocado

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil

  • 1 lemon (juiced)

  • 4 tbsp vegetable broth (or stock)

  • 1 tbsp tahini

  • 2-3 garlic cloves (chopped)

  • 1/4 tsp turmeric

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Cook bulgur according to package directions (~10-12 minutes); fluff with a fork and place in a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron pan over Medium-High heat; add avocado oil and swirl. Once the oil shimmers, add garlic, carrots & chickpeas. Season with salt & pepper and sauté until browned (~4-5 minutes)

3. Add Kale & 1/4 cup vegetable broth, stir. Cover and let kale wilt (~3-4 minutes)

4. While your kale mixture finishes, add all avocado-tahini dressing ingredients to a personal blender and blitz until smooth. Sauce will be thick; add small amount of water or broth to thin if desired (incrementally).

5. Add carrot mixture to bulgur, add parsley and red onion; stir to combine.

6. Portion out onto plates and top with extra parsley and red onion (if desired)

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do; it's great warm, room temp or cold so it's incredibly versatile! Let me know how it turned out for you!

With love & hope for a better future for all of us - Jamie