With restaurant food becoming unpredictably available or not,  a new trend has become popular in making our own to-go food. Whether you’re heading off to the park for a picnic, going hiking or jumping on a plane, it’s a great time to start thinking about making your own meals that travel well. Bulgur wheat is a whole grain, full of fiber and B vitamins, that adds nicely to so many dishes for that added nutrition you’ve been looking for.

Here are 2 great recipes to start you off…

Bulgur Salad

Precook the bulgur by pouring 3 cups boiling water over the bulgur in a large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and let cool.

  • 1-1/2 cups #3 coarse bulgur wheat Amazon
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
  • 4 ounces herb-marinated feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup torn fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley

The dressing: Whisk the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, oregano, sugar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and olives; season with salt and pepper.. Let sit 20 minutes.

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • Pinch of sugar

When you’re ready to eat or pack for travel, combine the dressing, bulgur, mint, parsley and vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper, toss and top with feta.

Lemon Dill Bulgur Salad with Salmon from Joyful Scribblings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups boiling water
  • 1½ cups #3 coarse bulgur wheat Amazon
  • ¼ cups lemon juice
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1 T. snipped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped arugula
  • ¾ cups chopped, seeded cucumber
  • ½ cup thinly sliced green onions (4)
  • 1 8-0z fresh skinless salmon fillet
  • ⅛ tsp. each salt and black pepper
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
  • 2 T. pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Precook the bulgur by pouring 3 cups boiling water over the bulgur in a large bowl. Cover tightly and let sit until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and let cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 450.
  3. In a bowl whisk lemon juice, oil, dill, and ½ tsp. salt.
  4. Add arugula, cucumber, green onions, and drained bulgur; toss gently to coat.
  5. Rinse Salmon; pat dry with paper towels. Line a baking sheet with foil; place salmon on baking sheet and sprinkle with the ⅛ tsps salt and pepper.
  6. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes per ½-inch thickness or until salmon flakes with a fork. Remove from oven.
  7. Break salmon into large chunks.
  8. Serve hot or let cool for packing. Divide bulgur mixture among serving plates. Add salmon to each; toss gently. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts.