Couscous Salad

I had a couscous salad once at a chic, hippie friendly restaurant in Utah.  (They had the most amazing pizza!)  When you hear couscous salad, you probably think of something savory like tabouli, but the one I had was sweet and fruity.  I’ve been meaning to make my own version ever since then, but somehow just never got around to it.  Until now. 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• 1 cup couscous
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 Tablespoon fresh mint
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup almonds
• ¼ cup dried blueberries 

Wash your mint and remove the leaves from the stems.

Chop.

You’ll only need the zest from about half of a lime. 

Make sure you only remove the green part. 

Juice your lime (it might take more than one to get 2 Tablespoons).  Put the juice into a small bowl and add the honey, canola oil, and salt.  Feel free to use a different type of oil if you prefer.

Whisk those together and add the zest and mint.  Stir them in and set that aside. 

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.  Remove it from the heat and pour in the couscous.  Stir, then put the lid on and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.  Yes, I said 5 minutes.  How awesome is anything that cooks in 5 minutes and requires on supervision?

Use a fork to fluff the couscous. 

Give the dressing another quick whisk and pour it over the top of the hot couscous. 

Stir until all the little couscouses are coated. 

Chop your almonds.  I actually just cut mine in half.  Put them into a dry pan over medium low heat.  Toss them around frequently and allow them to cook just until the barely start to brown. 

I used dried blueberries, but I’m not sure how readily available they are if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, and most people certainly don’t have them on hand.  Feel free to substitute dried cranberries or, dare I say it, raisins.  Not only are raisins evil, but they’re extremely toxic for dogs, so they aren’t allowed in my house. 

Add the toasted almonds and dried blueberries to the couscous. 

Then just stir it all together and you have a fabulous couscous salad. 

It can be served as is or chilled.  It’s the perfect side to take along to a barbecue because it can safely be out in the heat and will still be delicious. 

What food qualifies as evil in your house? 

Baked Triple Berry Oatmeal

If you’re like me, you like the taste, heartiness, and health benefits of oatmeal, but aren’t big on the squidgy texture. Baked oatmeal is the perfect solution. 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup oat flour (or whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups mixed berries
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 2 Tablespoons butter 

First thing, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350° and butter an 8x8 pan.

Put your oats into a mixing bowl.  I happened to have ground flax seed on hand, so I added a tablespoon.  It is absolutely optional, though. 

Add the rest of the dry ingredients. 

Stir that until everything is evenly distributed. 

Measure your milk and add the egg and vanilla.

Whisk that together and pour it over the dry ingredients. 

Stir until everything is incorporated and add the berries.  I used ½ cup each of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.  I happened to have fresh strawberries, so I used those rather than the frozen ones.  Either will work just fine, though.  In fact, probably any kind of fruit, (apples, peaches, cherries, whatever) fresh or frozen, will work.  You just want a total of 1 ½ cups. 

Gently stir in the berries and pour everything into your prepared pan. 

Slice 2 tablespoons of butter into thin slices and spread them over the top.

Into the oven for about 40 minutes.  It should be golden around the edges and just starting to brown on top. 

The longer you allow it to cool, the better it will stay together.  Then just cut it into squares and enjoy!  And the best part is, any leftovers can be reheated in the microwave in about 30 seconds, so it’s instant breakfast. 

What food textures do you have issues with?