Bulgar Wheat Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Other Goodies

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Put the bulgar in a heatproof bowl. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil and pour over the bulgar. Stir and let sit about 20 minutes or until tender.
3. Cut the butternut squash into bite size pieces and put on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Place in the oven and roast until tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Place pumpkin seeds and chopped walnuts into a large pan and put on medium heat until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Be sure to keep the seeds moving, they burn easily.
5. Chop the missions figs into bite size pieces.
6. Drain the bulgar and place in large mixing bowl. Add roasted squash, seeds, nuts, and figs and stir to combine. Squeeze lemon juice over the top and add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t leave out the lemon juice—it adds a brightness and freshness to the salad.
7. Can be served with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and an extra splash of olive oil.