Bring this healthy salad to the next picnic!
Spring Citrus Couscous Salad
Cook Time: 30 minutes
(Total time will vary with appliance and setting.)
Level of Difficulty: Easy
1 cup dried couscous or whole wheat couscous
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 stalks asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths (about 2 cups)
1 cup seeded and diced red pepper
½ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
1 navel orange, peeled and sliced into wedges
4 scallions, trimmed and minced
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
Cayenne pepper to taste
Place the couscous in a large bowl. In a sauce pot, bring the orange juice, water, the 2 teaspoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt, and ginger to a boil. Stir well. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the couscous. Stir in the hot liquid to distribute evenly. Quickly cover and allow the couscous to reconstitute for 15-20 minutes.
In the meantime, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick pan, and sauté the asparagus for about 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Add the red pepper and peas, and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the sautéed vegetables, orange wedges, scallions, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne pepper to the reconstituted couscous. Fluff with a fork to blend. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Per serving: Calories 280; Carbohydrates 52gms, Total fat 4gms; Saturated fat .5gms; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 970 mg (if using salt)
This recipe was taken from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook, which can be purchased at Barnes and Noble.
This dish is easy to prepare and can easily be completed within 30 minutes. It also takes advantage of fresh asparagus that is in season in early spring. The salt is optional in preparation and was not used for the recipe of the month. It was not missed. The flavors blend well with a light citrus taste from the couscous and orange wedges. To decrease in preparation time, use mandarin orange wedges in it's own fruit juice. Start enjoying the freshness of spring. This can be a side dish as well as a main entrée when adding tofu, cooked shrimp, or chicken.
Your Partners in Health,
Candace and Laura
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