Is a salad really a salad if it doesn’t have any greens in it?
I’m not sure what to call this, but it’s good. It’s a fast, easy recipe that requires you to toss things in a bowl and call it done- my favorite kind of recipe. It’s also portable and you can get away with packing it for lunch and not putting it in a fridge all day.
When I was cleaning my cupboards, I came upon some bulgur wheat that I’ve had for over a year. I’m not a huge fan of bulgur by itself- I think it tastes kind of gluey and gross- but with the right spices and flavors, it’s much better.
Same with butternut squash. I’m a huge squash fan, but butternut can be really watery. I think I’m spoiled by kabocha squash! I think the key to good butternut squash is roasting it. I’m usually really lazy and just stick it in the microwave, but for better flavor, roasting is the way to go.
My bird likes it raw (he doesn’t really eat it- he just flicks his beak on it 
)
Butternut and Black Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked bulgur wheat
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash
- 3/4 cup black beans, drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Sprinkle sea salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. You’re done.
The only thing that takes time in this recipe is waiting for the butternut squash to roast and the bulgur to cook. Bulgur wheat cooks way faster than brown rice, so this whole thing should take no longer than 20 or 30 minutes.
I’m packing this as dinner tonight- I’m planning on going to cycling right after work tonight and that’s not going to happen if I’m hungry!
What’s your favorite grain?
1. A salad can definitely be a salad without greens.
2. I would say I love brown rice and wild rice, though I really want to learn how to cook bulgur, barley and those sorts of grains. It would be nice to have new textures, you know?
Oh my god, that bird photo = love.
Love this!
The bird likes squash. Too funny.
My favorite grain is probably israeli couscous, but really I like them all.
lol @ that gorgeous bird!
The flavors in this salad are my favorites. I’d probably try it your way and then play around with different things. Great salad!
This is totally something I’d make. Not sure what it is about the combo, but butternut squash (or kabocha or sweet potatoes) and black beans is next to perfect.
Ive totally been spoiled by kabocha too! I’ve actually never made butternut on my own, but since the markets stopped carrying kabocha I bought one. I’ll definitely try roasting it!
I prefer beans to grains personally, but If I had to choose I would say quinoa is my fave!
I’m making this ‘salad’ (totally counts as a salad to me) tonight
It’s also great to see a recipe without oil in the dressing – thanks so much for posting it as I really needed a healthy dinner tonight to which I could not add ketchup for a change (even the low sugar stuff is atrocious…I never realised how much sugar there is in the stuff!)
I love quinoa and I think I’ll use it in the salad – I just love the ‘nuttiness’ and protein content of it. I do cook mine to within an inch of its life, otherwise my stomach can’t handle it. I’m not a fan of al dente grains!
xxx
i love quinoa, although it’s technically a seed, cooked and cooled, mixed with feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice/zest, chopped carrot, red onion, tomato, and celery. Soooo good and fresh tasting! I threw it in some romaine lettuce leaves and made wraps and loved it. Also great in a pita.
That’s always been the weird thing with salads. Like potato salad? How is that a salad?
I’m more of a bread type girl myself, so I suppose the grains in bread? Ha, I don’t know.
I don’t think I have cooked bulgur ever. I have tried it in salads and tabouleh but never actually cooked it myself. What I am really jealous of though is the squash. I need a big kitchen knife because these hard skin vegetables always win the fight lately..
BIRD! Love him!