Summer Salads in a Pinch I try to have a salad almost everyday but I must admit it gets a little redundant after a while. Every night carrots and cucumbers with lettuce, that’s my usual. 3 beautiful children doesn’t always leave me much time so planning ahead is key to a successful and tasty supper. So many of our best dinners are one meal wonders – my salads are to summer as my stews are to winter!

This summer my blogs are all about getting creative with summer salads. In my upcoming blogs I have built meals around my favorite ingredients – today we start with tomatoes. I served this wonderful couscous salad at a dinner party a few weeks ago and I am proud to say the emails are still coming in requesting the recipe. Enjoy!

Coming next: Get ready for sweet summer corn and buttery avocados

A little different but so divine!

Mediterranean Israeli Couscous Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 Pint Roast Cherry Tomatoes
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 Handfuls Pine Nuts
  • 1 Large Seedless Cucumber
  • Fresh Dill
  • 1 Yellow Chopped Onion
  • 1 1/4 cups Water or Chicken Stock
  • 1 Cup of Couscous
  • 1 Cup Crumbled Feta

Instructions

  1. The following can be done the day before allowing the flavors to meld beautifully
  2. Roast cherry tomatoes (approx 1 pint), on a baking sheet with olive oil and salt and pepper at 400 degrees (about 10 min), let cool
  3. While you have your oven on, take another baking sheet and toast some pine nuts (approx 5 min), let cool
  4. Chop 1 seedless large cucumber and mix with the roasted tomatoes
  5. Chop/scissor fresh dill and add to above
  6. Add salt and pepper and mix with a healthy drizzling of olive oil, place in a Ziploc and let sit
  7. The Next Day Sauté one yellow chopped onion in pot, add water or stock
    Note: I like to make my couscous with chicken stock. The measure is 1 and 1/4ths cup of liquid (water or stock) to 1 cup of couscous
  8. Cook and cool the couscous
  9. Drain the above tomato cucumber mixture as a lot of liquid will have accumulated and add to couscous
  10. Add the pine nuts (approx 2 handfuls)
  11. Mix in Crumbled Feta (approx 1 cup)
  12. Add salt peeper and a little olive oil as needed

I like to serve the salad room temperature with skewered meats of your choice and grilled vegetables.