[BBQ Recipe] Barbequed Courgette and Bulgur Wheat Salad

Barbequed Courgette and Bulgur Wheat Salad

It can be really difficult to watch your weight when heading to a BBQ with friends and family. There will be a mountain of meat, some sumptuous fish, and if you’re lucky the odd veggie kebab on the BBQ too. The table of sides often isn’t much better with mayonnaise laden potato salads, coleslaw swimming in yet more mayonnaise and sugary condiments.

My Mum and I are often the bringers of “green salad” to these kind of events but the limp lettuce tends to get pushed around the plate. One leaf might make its way into a burger bun if its lucky.

With that in mind I’ve started making a conscious effort to serve up more exciting salads when cooking up a storm around a BBQ.

Before I thought if people weren’t willing to eat a simple green salad, why would they be willing to try a cous-cous or bulgur wheat one? I won’t lie to you, I have had mixed success in this regard. My Nan and Grandad simply won’t touch the stuff, but it turns out the rest of my family are much more willing to try new things.

With that in mind here’s one of my favourites. It’s a warm salad with the courgette grilled and served over the fluffy bed of bulgur wheat at the last minute. This gives it a bit of theatre and people feel like they’re not betraying the BBQ!

Pomegranate, Walnut and Bulgur Wheat Salad

 

Have you been outside recently? Something strange is happening, the sky is blue, the sun is shining and there’s a beautiful warm breeze. It’s funny watching how the English public react to a bit of blue sky.

Just the other day Mr KG and I took a trip down Oxford Street for a spot of shopping and a bite to eat. Half of the people we passed were huffing and puffing, not only loaded up with shopping bags, but with layers of jumpers and coats causing them to overheat. (I’ll let you in on a secret; Mr KG was one of them!) Others had gone to the other extreme – we saw so many pasty legs sticking out of shorts and skirts.

However, the sun doesn’t just do strange things to a person’s wardrobe choices, it also changes the way we eat! A lot of people believe it’s easier to lose weight in the summer because light al fresco dinners and salads for lunch suddenly become much more appetizing options.

I’ve tried bucking the trend and last autumn introduced a warm salad series which included recipes like Grilled Nectarine & Goats Cheese Salad as well as Warm Honeyed Fig, Cured Ham and Mozzarella Salad. This autumn I’ll add a few more to the collection.

In the meantime however, as the sun shines and the sky remains blue, I’ll stick to fresh, summery salads without the extra heat.

This salad is great for people who struggle to feel full after just a bowl of leaves. It focuses much more on the use of bulgur wheat to provide sustenance and energy and the fresh herbs to bring some leafy greens to the mix. Last but not least, the walnuts and pomegranate bring a delicious crunchy texture to the dish as well as subtle nutty tones and the sweet yet sharp hit of fruit.

This dish also lends itself well to being packed up in a lunch box and being taken to work. If, like me, you end up working straight through your break, it can easily be tucked into at your desk without worrying about messy dressings. As the weather continues to improve I will have to make more of an effort to eat out in the sunshine!

Warm Salad Series: Golden Bulgar Wheat Salad

Why not enjoy this salad with a good book?

Past posts in the warm salad series: Grilled Nectarine and Goats Cheese Salad; Honeyed Fig Salad with Mozzarella and Cured Ham; and Chicory and Fennel Salad with Balsamic.

Over the last four weeks I have posted a series of salad recipes that are perfect for staying healthy while the dark nights close in and the air becomes cold. Today is no exception, as I bring you a Golden Bulgur Wheat Salad. The spicy salad is filling, super tasty, and jam packed with roasted veggies to keep you healthy.

Served warm and tossed with baby spinach leaves, this recipe is perfect as we move into autumn. As Halloween creeps up, you may also want to swap the butternut squash with pumpkin!

Unlike my other recipes this one takes a little longer in the preparation department; but it will keep you fuller for longer with that lovely warm feeling thanks to the roasted vegetables and the chilli and paprika heat.

Bulgur wheat was a bit of a mystery to me before I came up with this recipe. It’s very similar to cous cous, but is more substantial in size, texture and flavour which makes it a perfect addition to this salad. The longer the vegetables are roasted the sweeter they become, contrasting with the chilli and spinach. The apricots also give the salad an extra zing to brighten up your lunchtime!