You're My Obsession

Don't you love when you find a new recipe that becomes an instant favorite? You begin craving this tasty new dish almost instantly--a dish you didn't even know existed yesterday. It becomes, well, an obsession.

Enter Bulgur-Apple-Almond Salad...my own latest obsession.

I stumbled upon a variation of this recipe in a Family Circle magazine at the dentist's office, and have already made it three times in two weeks! The sweet apples, crunchy almonds, and simply satisfying dressing make it the perfect salad to pack for lunch. A few notes to further entice you:

-Bulgur is a tasty, high fiber, easy-to-cook grain. Simply boil your liquid of choice,

remove from heat, add bulgur, cover, and let sit for about a half hour. (Measurement:

for one cup of bulgur, use 2 cups of liquid).

-I recommend using broth to cook with your bulgur. If you're a meat-eater, definitely go with chicken broth; veg-heads can reach for the vegetable broth

-Don't even think about making this recipe without toasting the almonds...the toasty

flavor makes it, my friends!

Bulgur-Apple-Almond Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked bulgur

2 cups (1 can) of veggie or chicken broth

2 chopped apples

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup (or more) dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds

2 TBSP honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

3 TBSP olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1) In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Remove from heat, mix bulgur into hot broth, cover, and allow to sit for approximately a half hour (or until liquid is absorbed).

2) In the meantime, whisk the honey, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil together in a small bowl.

2) When the bulgur is ready, combine it with the apples, celery, cranberries, and almonds in a

large bowl.

4) Pour dressing over bulgur mixture and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

5) Enjoy your new obsession.