Chickpeas and butternut squash - all dressed up and served over a bed of nutty-tasting bulghur. If you haven’t yet made the acquaintance of the middle-eastern staple, bulghur, this is a good introduction. High in fiber, low in fat, it also offers a fair amount of protein to any recipe. This whole wheat grain can be found in various degrees of coarseness, with #1 being fine, #2 medium, and #3 coarse.

Ingredient list for 4 servings

• For salad:
• 1 medium, 2-pound butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
• 1 garlic clove - minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• 1 ½ cups medium bulghur
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 15-ounce can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
• ¼ medium red onion - finely chopped
• 2 leaves bok choy or pak choy - sliced into 1” thick ribbons
•  
• For tahini dressing:
• 1 garlic clove - finely minced with a pinch of salt
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 3 tablespoons tahini - well-stirred
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
• Combine broth and bulghur in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 - 20 minutes until water has been absorbed.
• Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lime juice. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You will probably need to add more water to thin it out.
• Assemble the salad: Combine the squash, chickpeas and onion in a bowl. Mix gently and pile on top of bulghur in individual serving bowls. Garnish with bok/pak choy ribbons. Add a dollop of dressing on the top.

Note: The tahini dressing makes enough for 4 salads. If you are serving only two, reserve half of the dressing to serve with the leftovers, reheated in a microwave, within 5 days.