Savory Bulgur Wheat Salad with Fennel, Bacon and Blacken Pumpkins Seeds

Savory Bulgur Wheat Salad with Fennel, Bacon and Blackened Pumpkins Seeds
by Lori Churchill

4 cups water
2 cups bulgur wheat

1 pound bacon - crispy, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fennel - coarse chop
3/4 cups curly parsley - tightly packed, coarse chop
1 small bunch of scallions - minced

4 cloves garlic - crushed
1/3 cup crasins - chopped

1 bunch red kale - stems removed, fine chop - sautéed
1 2/3 cups Truly Good Foods Blackened Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 - 3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 lemon - juiced (I like a little more citrus flavor, so I used 3/4)

1 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 Tablespoons Bragg liquid amino acid (used in place of salt)

2 Tablespoons fennel fronds - minced, for garnish

Parsley - a few sprigs for garnish

Add water and bulgur wheat to a sauce pan, bring to a boil, then cover with lid and remove from heat. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain any excess water and gently stir. Set aside.

Cook bacon until lightly crisp and break into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Prepare fennel, parsley, scallions, garlic, crasins, and kale.

In a large frying pan, sauté kale, scallions and garlic using a few Tablespoons bacon drippings.

Add the cooked bulgur wheat, bacon, fennel, parsley, crasins and pumpkin seeds along with the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and liquid amino acid. Heat through. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fennel fronds and parsley sprigs.

We like to pair this with grilled zucchini or steamed broccoli and cauliflower for a simple dinner.

Serve it hot and enjoy!