Makes 6 servings

Bulgur is an easy grain to prepare. Rather than hovering near a hot burner, you can boil water, add the bulgur, turn off the heat, and let the bulgur soak for about 30 minutes.

In this recipe, you can substitute couscous (cook it the same way as you would cook the bulgur, but use only 1 cup of water and reduce the soaking time to 10 minutes) or use cooked rice. Also, you can substitute the yellow squash with zucchini or use a combination of both. In the fall or winter, try using 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes of a hard winter squash such as butternut or delicata. To spice things up, add 1/2 teaspoon of allspice to the bulgur after draining the water.

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur
1 ½ cups boiling water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ cups yellow squash (about one medium squash halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine bulgur and boiling water in a bowl and cover for 30-40 minutes or until tender.   Drain bulgur of any remaining water and add to large bowl. Stir in lemon juice.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash, onion, garlic and lemon zest and sauté until the onions are translucent and the squash is tender (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir into the bulgur. Serve warm.