Beluga Lentil Tabbouleh & Spice Bread

Okay, these two recipes really have nothing to do with each other culturally, and probably aren't even supposed to be eaten together. But I made them at the same time because, what can I say, I'm a convention-pushing badass like that.

This tabbouleh (you say taboule, I say tabbouleh) recipe is the first I've ever tried, and I just love it. It is so simple and healthy, and a good excuse to try bulgur wheat if you never have before!

Tabbouleh

1.5 cups cooked black lentils*
1.5 cups cooked bulgur*
2 T. olive oil
2 T. rice vinegar
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. oregano
salt and pepper




ALSO PARSLEY.

*I honestly don't know if my proportions are correct to this recipe, but if you don't mind the lentils coloring the bulgur, here is the lazy way to cook this stuff. Boil 3/4 cup lentils in at least 6 cups of water for 15 minutes. Then add 3/4 cup bulgur to the pot and cook for another 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large bowl, combine the lentils and bulgur. In a small bowl, whisk together everything else. Pour over the lentils and bulgur, and toss til well coated. Chill for an hour or more to blend the flavors.




Last step: gorge yourself to death.

Recipe adapted from The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook!

I just let the tabbouleh chill during the time it took me to make this bread. To be honest, I didn't have all the real ingredients required for this, so I made a lot of substitutions and the bread came out less than optimal. It was still tasty and sweet, but kinda chewy, in the way that a quickbread should not be! But for something that is only good for leveling your Cooking to 40, what are ya gonna do?

Spice Bread

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
1/3 cup canola oil or applesauce



I think to avoid the chewiness, you want to stick with oil. I didn't have enough left at the time, so I used applesauce. It is a lower-fat option, but it is more likely to take the moisture out of the bread quicker, especially if you overcook the product, which I tend to do with absolutely everything. Alas...

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a small saucepan over low heat, cook and stir brown sugar and milk for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, agave, oil/applesauce and brown sugar mixture. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan.

Bake for 55-60 minutes.




Recipe adapted from this!

Enjoy!

Also, here is a hilarious gif my awesome friend Becky made for me, quicker than I could find out whether I even still had Photoshop or not!