Creamy Bulgur, Corn, And Asparagus Salad

Begin the dressing by placing the almonds in a small bowl, cover them with water, place them in the refrigerator, and leave them to soak overnight to loosen their skins. Remove the almonds from the water, squeeze each almond between your thumb and forefinger to remove the skin, place them on a towel, and set them aside to dry.

In a blender or food processor, place the almonds and process for 1 to 2 minutes to finely grind them. Scrape down the sides of the container, add the lime juice, water, nutritional yeast flakes, sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and process for 30 seconds.

Add the safflower oil and process for 1 minute to form a smooth puree. Add the cilantro and parsley, pulse several times to combine, and set the dressing aside.

Next, prepare the bulgur by placing it in a large bowl, pour the water and tamari over the top, and stir well to combine. Set the bulgur mixture aside for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the bulgur is tender. Add the reserved dressing to the bulgur and toss well to thoroughly coat the bulgur with the dressing.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the stems of the asparagus, and then slice the asparagus spears diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the asparagus, corn, fennel, orange/red pepper, and green onions to the bulgur mixture, and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as desired. The bulgur salad mixture can also be served as a sandwich or wrap filling.

This recipe yields 6 servings.