Pungent mustard greens beg for other strong flavors for balance. Here walnut oil, walnuts, dates, bulgur and white-wine vinegar do the trick.

Makes 6 servings, about 2/3 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 cup bulgur (see Shopping Tip)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
6 teaspoons walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
12 cups thinly sliced mustard greens (about 1 bunch), tough stems removed
1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
2-3 tablespoons water
4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Prepare bulgur according to package directions. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cool water; drain. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Place 5 teaspoons oil and shallots in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the shallots start to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add mustard greens, dates and 2 tablespoons water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender and the water evaporates (add another tablespoon of water if the pan is dry before the greens are tender), about 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar, salt and the prepared bulgur; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with the walnuts before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 169 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 5 g fiber; 199 mg sodium; 192 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (57% daily value), Vitamin C (33% dv), good source of omega-3s.
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 fat

TIP: Shopping Tip: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Unlike cracked wheat, it simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for bulgur in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at kalustyans.com or lebaneseproducts.com.

This was an unexpected favorite! The dates add a subtle sweet flavor to the greens and bulgur. A nice accompaniment to pork and homemade applesauce. You could use any dark green with this recipe. We happened to use collards, because that's what we had on hand and it was wonderful.

Penelope, Burlington, VT

This was AWESOME! The flavors together are superb... and you can use just about any hearty grain or green... I used quinoa in mine to make gluten free... outstanding! I am going to try it with short grain brown rice next time.

Leslie, Houston, TX