Bulgar and Kale Casserole with Yogurt Topping

New York Times columnist, Martha Rose Shulman, shares a recipe for a healthy and unique casserole.  Her kale and bulgar casserole with yogurt topping is a delicious departure from traditional tuna noodle.  Blanched kale is layered with tomato sauce and bulgar.  Then the casserole is topped with a mixture of eggs, yogurt, and parmesan cheese.  This creates and creamy  crust.  Shulman advises that all the parts of this casserole can be made ahead of time except for the topping.  That way when you are ready to bake the casserole, it will only take 30 minutes before landing on the table.

Bulgar and Kale Casserole
Recipe from New York Time Fitness & Nutrition

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small or 1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, quartered if you have a food mill, peeled, seeded and chopped if you don’t, or  1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice, or crushed tomatoes in purée

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

For the gratin:

1 pound kale, stemmed and washed, or a 10-ounce bag of stemmed, washed kale

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup coarse bulgur (No. 3), cooked

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

2 ounces (approximately 1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan

3 eggs

1 cup thick plain low-fat yogurt

Salt, pepper and paprika to taste

For recipe instructions, click here