Let’s Get Started!

Ingredients Needed

• 1 yellow, orange or red pepper
• 2 tsp granulated garlic (or 2-3 cloves, minced)
• ½ bunch asparagus
• Vegetable broth or stock, 1 box (32 oz)
• 1 c. sugar snap peas
• 1 ½ c. uncooked bulgur *
• 3-4 scallions
• black pepper
• 1 c. shredded carrots
• 1 T. sesame seeds
• 1 c. chopped purple cabbage
• 2T champaign vinegar
• ginger, fresh ½ inch chunk or 1 tsp minced
• 1 T. mirin
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Cut the pepper into slices and then half those. Cut the woody ends off the asparagus and cut the stems and tips into 1-2-inch pieces (bite size). Cut the snap peas in half and chop the scallions. Separate the green ends of the scallions and save for the dressing. Chop the cabbage. Peel and grate the ginger and mince the garlic.
2. Use about 4 cups of vegetable broth (1 32 oz box) and add 2 cups of water to a cooking pot and add the bulgur. (If you are using pearled barley you should only need to add about 1 cup of water). Bring to a boil and cook until done. *
3. Mix or whisk the vinegar, mirin and lemon juice in a bottle or cup with the green scallions.
4. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over med-high heat. Add a couple spoonful’s of water, then add all the vegetables, ginger and garlic. Toss around over medium heat until all the colors are bright, and the vegetables are warm. Do not overcook; the colors should be bright and the vegetables still firm. Add pepper to taste.
5. Drain any remaining liquid off the bulgur once it is done, add the bulgur to the vegetables and then stir in the dressing. Serve immediately.

Benefits

These are some high anti-oxidant vegetables and the barley contains fiber and protein, so this meal is perfect for cancer fighting, fixing a poor gut or aiding in recovery from illness. If you are not used to eating much fiber, you will get gas. If you do, this is a sign that you do not have a lot of healthy bacteria in your gut. It is okay to take a gas pill, but it is important to keep eating high fiber meals like this because your gut will eventually adapt, and you will have better bacteria (in your gut) and less gas.

*Bulgar comes in a whole form (brown) or a pearled form (whitish-brown). The pearled form has the hull removed and it cooks faster but is a bit lower in fiber. The whole form will take 40 minutes or more to cook, while the pearled will only take 25 minutes, and still is a whole grain with plenty of fiber. Get whichever type you find and use these estimates to cook. It should be a little chewy, not crunchy. *