A light and colorful salad combining sweet cranberries, crunchy pecans and fresh vegetables with couscous pasta.
Couscous Salad
Ingredients
¾ cup dry couscous
⅓ cup dried cranberries
1 cup boiling water
½ cup low-fat Italian salad dressing
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
2 green onions, sliced
¾ cup peas (fresh, frozen, or canned, drained and rinsed) (see Notes)
¼ cup chopped toasted pecans (or other nuts)
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- Put the couscous and cranberries in a large bowl.
- Pour boiling water over the mixture. Cover and let stand until just warm, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork to separate.
- Add dressing and mix lightly.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and toss lightly to mix.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Cook frozen peas according to package directions or to 165 degrees F.
- To toast nuts, spread on a baking sheet or pan and heat in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, depending on the size of the nuts. Watch closely to avoid scorching.
- Salad may be refrigerated for up to a day after adding the dressing. When ready to serve, add the vegetables and nuts.
- What is Couscous? Couscous is small pellets that are usually shaped from a wheat flour mixture, then pre-cooked and dried. It can be found in many bulk food sections and in packages along the pasta aisle. Try whole-grain couscous.
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Comments
Josephine County 5th graders Kids Tasting Comments for Couscous Salad:
This salad is as pretty as it is tasty. It's even better the next day -- the cukes are still crunchy, and the flavors have blended together nicely.
Yummy! This is my "go to" lunch recipe.