Farmer’s Market Grain Bowl

This Farmer’s Market Grain Bowl is the second in Cooking for Hangry People, a series of recipes to help inspire quick and nutritious meals to combat hanger, that dreaded combination of Hunger + Anger. We’ve tried to keep the recipes 20 minutes or under, and use a limited list of ingredients that are fairly easy to come by. More on why we started the series is here.

Here’s another recipe for a quick meal to combat hangry feelings, this time inspired by the summer produce at our local farmer’s market. August is prime time for produce in here Indiana, and we often field questions on how to use it on a daily basis. Grain bowls are one of our favorite ideas for a customizable, simple meal with market finds. Cook up a pot of grains, add some beans or other protein, and pile on your favorite raw veg from the market topped with a special sauce.

This farmer’s market grain bowl includes summery veg from the farmer’s market near our house: zucchini, summer squash, bell pepper, and those lovely multi-colored cherry tomatoes that make my heart jump when I see them (it’s SUMMER!). The grain here is bulgur wheat, which we’ve used since it’s so quick to cook — and doesn’t even involve cooking, really. Simply pour boiling water over the grains and wait for 15 minutes until it’s tender. (You can substitute any grain you’d like: for gluten-free, try quinoa, which is also quick to cook.) And for the special sauce, it’s our Best Balsamic Dressing: balsamic vinegar, maple, and olive oil whisked together into a creamy, tangy emulsion. You can use this concept with any ingredients you like: just combine your favorite market vegetables with a quick cooking grain and balsamic dressing and basil (which makes for a fresh touch).

Would you try this as a quick weeknight meal? What are your favorite hangry meals? We’d love to know.

More Hangry Meals

Quick Garlic Shrimp & Couscous

Did you make this recipe? Do you have a hangry tip?

We’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below or share a picture on Instagram and mention @acouplecooks. In honor of our hangry series, use the tag #hangrynomore !

Farmer's Market Grain Bowl

 

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by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 4

What You Need

• 2 cups fine or medium grind bulgur wheat (not coarse or extra coarse bulgur)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 15-ounce can white beans (for very hangry appetites, double the beans)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 to 2 bell peppers
• 1 zucchini
• 1 summer squash
• 1 small red onion
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 corn cobs, if desired
• 1 handful basil leaves
• Salad greens, to serve (optional)
• Best Balsamic Dressing (below)

What To Do

1. For the bulgur, boil the water. In a heatproof bowl, combine 2 cups boiling water, bulgur wheat, and ¾ tsp kosher salt; stir to combine. Cover and allow to sit while you cook the recipe; it should take about 15 minutes until tender and all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving.
2. Drain and rinse the white beans. Mince the garlic clove, then mix it with the beans, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (as noted above, for very hangry appetites, double the beans).
3. Chop all vegetables into bite-sized pieces. If desired, cut the corn off of the cobs (use raw corn or for a quick fix, microwave the corn for about 5 minutes until bright yellow and tender).
4. To serve, place greens in the bottom of a wide, shallow bowl. Top with bulgur wheat, beans, vegetables, torn basil leaves, and Best Balsamic Dressing (below).

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Best Balsamic Dressing

 

Print

by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 1 cup

What You Need

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil

What To Do

1. In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until very thick and creamy. Dressing is shelf-stable and can be stored in the cupboard if desired. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature prior to serving.

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