Instructions: Heres a one-pot meal I made for supper last night, along with a salad.

Its a variation on a recipe from the Betty Crocker Microwave Cookbook. Im sure it could be done on top of the stove instead of in the microwave. It just needs to simmer long enough to let the bulgar absorb the liquid. The original recipe called for ground beef. For those who are still meat-eaters, use 1/2 lb. instead of the TVP, water, ketchup and Kitchen Bouquet. Ground turkey would also work.

Mix TVP with boiling water, ketchup and Kitchen Bouquet and let stand 10 minutes. Put onion and garlic in a 1 quart casserole and microwave, covered, on High for 1 minute. Add TVP mixture and rest of ingredients except for cheese and stir. Microwave, covered, on Medium for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir. Top with cheese and let stand several minutes.

Makes 2 or 3 servings.

Variation: change the seasonings to 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp ground cumin and add chopped green pepper with the onion and garlic to make Spanish Bulgar (instead of Spanish Rice).

You could also use this for a filling for stuffed peppers.

And, since I know someone will ask: TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. It is made from soybeans and makes a reasonably good substitute for ground beef, especially in things with a sauce. Its cheap and also very low fat. You can buy it at a natural foods store. You can also use it to replace part of the meat in a recipe if you want to cut back on meat, but not give it up entirely.

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