This is one of those wonderful recipes that works no matter what’s in your kitchen. It gives you the opportunity to use whichever grain you feel like eating today, whichever greens are in season, and whichever other vegetables you are in the mood to sautè. I chose bulgur, red pepper, asparagus and spinach here, but you should feel free to use whatever is in the veggie bin. The onions and garlic are important, as are the herbs and spices, but everything else is flexible.

To make this recipe, take a breath, look through your kitchen, gather your goodies, and start to chop. If you get everything chopped earlier in the day, you can throw the dish together quickly. And if you make the grains ahead of time, everything will come together in just a few minutes! Instead of bulgur you can also try brown rice, millet, or quinoa, though these will need to be made ahead, because the amount of cooking time varies depending on the type of grain. P.S. This recipe would also be great with a bowl of tomato soup.

• 1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
• 2 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 3 + 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 3/4 t. smoky paprika
• 3/4 t. turmeric
• 1 t. dried basil
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
• 1 t. Kosher salt
• 3 c. baby spinach, rinsed well and dried
• 2 Tbsp. roasted sunflower seeds

1. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a small saucepan, add onion and 3 cloves worth of garlic, and saute several minutes until fragrant. Add red pepper, and cook 1-2 min more. Add paprika and turmeric, and stir well. Add bulgur, broth, salt, and basil, cover pan, and simmer 20 min until bulgur is cooked.
2. Rinse asparagus and remove woody stems.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a small frying pan, and sauté asparagus for several min until bright green. In the last min of cooking, add the remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Remove pan from heat, and stir in spinach.
4. Place the grains in a serving bowl, pour the asparagus and spinach on top, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serves 3-4.