Warm Pearl Couscous Salad
This warm pearl couscous salad is the perfect seasonal transition meal. When Spring or Fall is in the air it is nice to eat warm salads. You may be craving bright and sunny but the chilly mornings and evenings call for comfort food. That's when a transitional recipe really shines. This plant-based and vegan recipe is the perfect antidote to a dreary day. It has bright pops of color, vibrant flavors and a combo of cooked and raw ingredients. The warm couscous has a hint of turmeric, pan seared Brussels sprouts and filling chickpeas. Simply dressed with olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon and ground black pepper it screams fresh!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pearl cous cous measure before cooking
- 8 brussels sprouts trimmed, cut in half
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin, divided
- 15 oz chickpeas canned, drained well
- 1 ½ lemon squeezed
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 ea black pepper fresh ground per your preference
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs basil, mint or parsley chopped
- 4 cups spring mix
- 4 each baby bell peppers seeded and chopped
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 2 compari tomatoes or 1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
- 1 avocado quartered and sliced
- 2 mandarin oranges peeled and sliced
Instructions
- In a large, deep sauté pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat them add the Brussels sprouts to the pan, flat side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving to get a nice browned sear.
- Then add pearl couscous to the pan, stirring often and toast for 2 minutes. Then add 1 ½ cups water. Since we don’t cover the cous cous in this method, we use a little extra liquid for the evaporation factor.
- Add chickpeas plus a salt, garlic powder, onion powder and turmeric. Boil on medium heat until water is absorbed. About 10 minutes. Check for softness and if ready, then squeeze half a lemon over it and stir in the fresh herbs.
- To a bowl add mixed greens, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado and mandarin oranges. Serve warm couscous over this salad that is varied in texture. Simply dress the salad with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon wedges, salt and pepper. This one is perfect with the sweetness of the mandarins and bell peppers mixed with the tart lemon, and buttery avocado. No vinegar needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 483kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 15gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 479mgPotassium: 955mgFiber: 14gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1685IUVitamin C: 91mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 4mg
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