Heathly Comfort Food and Salad

I was looking forward to the day that I would share this recipe with you. I got this recipe from an amazing cook who is an even better friend- that is saying a lot (shout out to Bekah!). Whether she knows it or not, she has taught me a lot about about balance in my eating and in my general life. This recipe is so tasty and easy. It has become a comfort food for me. I make it at least once a week and never get sick of it. I'm sure all you cooks can jazz it up in lots of different ways, but I love the regular recipe.

Bulgur Pilaf

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 cup bulgur

1 tsp parsley

1 tablespoon lemon juice

cracked pepper

Melt 1 TB of butter or olive oil in a skillet. Cook 1/2 cup chopped onions and 1/2 cup chopped carrots until crisp tender. Push off to the side of the skillet. Add 1 TB of butter or olive oil and 1/2 C sliced almonds and cook until golden brown. Stir in 1 cup bulgur and 14 1/2 ounces of vegetable or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the bulgur is tender and liquid is absorbed. Add 1 tsp parsley, cracked pepper and 1 TB of fresh lemon juice. Toss and serve.

While salads sound light, this one actually fills me up and it's so tasty.

Shrimp and Spinach Salad

Yield: 4 servings; 316 calories per servings

6 strips bacon cut into small pieces (I used turkey bacon which will lower the calories, but really I'm just not a huge pork fan!)

1 red onion, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

8 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons pine nuts

3 Tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Olive oil (optional)

6 oz. baby spinach

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1. Heat a large skillet on medium. Cook the bacon pieces until they're crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer them onto a paper towel.

2. Add the onion and mushrooms to the hot pan and cook them until the onion begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, along with the pine nuts. When the shrimp are pink and firm (2 to 4) minutes, stir in the vinegar and mustard, and season again with salt and pepper. if the pan looks dry, add a splash of olive oil.

3. Divide the spinach and eggs among four plates and top with the hot shrimp mixture, some of the dressing from the pan, and the bacon.