Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Bulgar Wheat Salad

This is a delicious salad that pretty much gets on with itself. there's very little active cooking time involved which made it perfect to make when I got back from WeightWatchers last week and was rushing around. I used goat's cheese and the flavour combination worked perfectly. The recipe, which I have adapted, used farro but as I can't find that anywhere, I used Bulgar wheat instead. It comes from Closet Cooking, a blog which I have been reading forever and absolutely love, Kevin tries out some really interesting combinations of food and celebrated his 6 year blog anniversary yesterday.

I would never have thought of roasting the mushrooms or the green beans but it was delicious and I have now found a new way to cook both! I ate this cold as a packed lunch but it would be just as delicious warm.

Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Bulgar Wheat Salad (adapted from Closet Cooking)
(Serves 4)

300g bulgar wheat

225g mushrooms, quartered

450g green beans, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

cooking spray

1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

salt and pepper

75g feta, goat or blue cheese, crumbled

30g walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

for the balsamic vinaigrette

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 large clove garlic, grated
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the bulgar wheat and cook according to packet instructions. Drain and run under cold water.

Spray the mushrooms and green beans with the cooking spray and then toss them with the thyme, salt and pepper and place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast the mushrooms and green beans in a preheated 200C oven until they start to caramelise, about 20 minutes, turning them over about half way through.

Mix everything together and pack into a lunch box. Mix the ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette together and pack separately, pour over when you come to eat it.