Simple Sub #2

Bulgur Wheat Instead of Rice

So this substitution is a really easy one to do.  Bulgur wheat has a much lower glycemic index than rice, so it does not raise your blood glucose levels like rice does, making it great for weight loss. It is significantly higher in fibre content and slightly higher in protein as well, so this makes it another winner for our program. I had never had bulgur wheat before using Good Food for meal services, so if you have never heard of it before, you’re not alone!

I quite enjoy making my food with lots of flavour, so I sauté onions and garlic in some olive oil first before adding my pre-rinsed bulgur and water and then add an organic bouillon cube. After cooking, you can then add some chopped nuts and green onions or parsley to it. This makes it a pilaf, and oh-so-tasty!  Experiment with adding some extra spices likes cumin and paprika and see what your family likes.  It also makes a fantastic base for bowls (covered with lettuce, roasted veggies and your protein choice) that are a common rotation in our home.

If you don’t know where to find bulgur wheat, I buy it at Wal-Mart in their ethic food section, or you can also find it in an organic section of your grocery store with the Bob’s Red Mill section.  The organic bouillon cubes are cheapest at Superstore.

To cook it, it does depend on if you have coarse of fine bulgur wheat.  For fine, you will double the liquid, for coarse, it is 1 cup of wheat to 1.5 cups of liquid. Cooking time is just like white rice - approximately 15 minutes.

Happy cooking!