Poor Under-appreciated Parsley

Parsley is much more than a garnish, it is high in vitamins A and C, and contains iron, iodine, and copper. Even though parsley has a very light scent and flavor, it is a terrific breath freshener and is also great for calming your stomach. Parsley is a member of the celery family.
My grandmother has always liked to use parsley. She buys it fresh, washes it, uses paper towel to remove excess water then she removes all the leaves and freezes the parsley in Ziploc bags or plastic containers. My grandmother is very heavy handed when using the parsley and it really does make a big difference in the flavor of so many things, such as her; “meatballs, pestos, pasta, salad dressings, salads, egg dishes (frittatas), beans, chicken”. You can really notice the difference if she leaves the parsley out, everything tastes much better with the parsley added.
So the next time you see that poor little sprig of parsley sitting on the side of your plate just waiting to be discarded, either eat it at the end of your meal and freshen your breath. Tear it up and sprinkle it over your food, anything other than just throwing it away. Make parsley a part of your day to day cooking, you'll be glad that you did.

Cracked Wheat and Parsley Salad

3/4 cup cracked wheat (bulgur)

1 1/2 cups snipped parsley

3 tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup chopped green onions

2 tbsp. snipped fresh mint

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Soak cracked wheat in enough boiling water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain wheat and press out excess water. Place wheat, parsley, tomatoes, green onion, and mint in bowl. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over wheat mixture tossing to blend well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Enough for 6 people