Super cheap, easy, quick Tabouli

[Moontidearts]

Tabouli is a Middle Eastern type of salad eaten with pita bread. It can be on the bland side or very savory. Here's my extra tasty, quick and cheap version...

1/2 cup Bulger (cracked, raw wheat, found at larger super markets and health food stores)
1 large can diced Tomatoes (Italian style adds a bit more flavor, but plain are are fine)
1 large bunch of Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 a pealed, seeds removed, finely chopped Cucumber
1/4 cup olive oil (1/2 canola, 1/2 olive is fine, cheaper olive oil is also fine)
1/8 cup lemon juice or more if you like things a bit more zesty (or fresh squeezed is better...adding about a 1/4 tsp or more of lemon zest is terrific)
2 TBS of finely minced onion (fresh, raw onion, not the dried stuff)
2-4 cloves of garlic finely minced (I use a LOT of garlic)
1/2 tsp Salt (optional)
fresh ground Pepper to taste
1 TBS finely minced Mint (optional)

No need to soak the wheat...Just mix everything together and leave it in the fridge for the bulger to absorb the moisture for a few hours, and then it's ready to be served stuffed into pita pockets or served with triangles of toasted pita or crackers. SO healthy and SO much flavor.

I actually never measure any of the ingredients, so you may find that you need a bit more oil, or lemon juice. After mixing, just dip in a finger and taste the juice, and then adjust if needed. A couple pinches of sugar is good if you find it a bit too tangy. You know you have enough liquid if it's thick but soupy. When it's ready, most of the liquid will have absorbed.

This really is a VERY easy recipe. It just seems to have a lot of ingredients, but it shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to pull together, and it's SO worth it. Serve a bowl of soup with it, and you've got a simple, healthy meal.

Enjoy.

Victoria

[bclements514]

My MIL makes it. It's pretty good!!!!

[YankeeMom]

Sounds yummy!!

Do you find the bulger at The Mustard Seed?

[Marie78]

This sounds really good and healthy. I am writing it down so I can make it soon .

[Moontidearts]

Bulger, also called cracked wheat, is very inexpensive, even at the quite expensive Mustard Seed health food shops, and a little goes a long way. Usually it's soaked before usine it, but this recipe uses the juices from the canned tomatoes (so much better than the awful and expensive tomatoes available over the winter) to plump it up. Get the small or fine bulger rather than the bigger grained stuff.