Are you the meal planner in your house? Us, too. When meal planning (and cooking!) gives you the blues, freshen up with this colorful salad, originally created by Giada De Laurentiis. Bright fresh herbs, warm paprika and smooth pearl couscous make for a yumma-licious flavor and texture combination. Add grilled protein to make a main dish or serve as a side – you can’t go wrong.
We were lucky enough to have the Jazzercise, Inc. VP of Operations Brad Jones whip this up for us one sunny winter afternoon. Brad is always bringing something tasty into the office, but this time he went big and brought lunch for the whole #fitkrew. Only Brad Jones can turn something as mundane as a workday lunch into a delicious celebration!
Simple enough for weeknight cooking, you’ll want to make this vibrant, versatile dish for your family, to take to work or for a party. You just may find it works delectably well for any and all occasions.
Israeli Couscous & Fresh Herb Salad
Dressing
1/3 C olive oil
2T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 t smoked paprika
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
Couscous
1 T olive oil
1 1/3 C (8 ounces) Israeli / pearl couscous or maftoul
1/2 t salt
2 C packed baby spinach leaves (or kale), coarsely chopped
2 C cherry tomatoes, halved
1 C feta, crumbled
1 C roasted red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 C chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 C slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 C chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper, to taste
Make the dressing: Whisk the oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Make the couscous: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Cook the couscous, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Mix together the spinach or kale, tomatoes, feta, peppers, parsley, almonds and mint in a large bowl. Add the couscous and the dressing. Mix gently.
Transfer to a large serving bowl, toss with dressing and serve.