Hungry to the point of being hangry? Problem solved. You can make this simple couscous salad in less than 15 minutes, and the best part? It’s even vegetarian-friendly.
One night over winter break, I had to come up with something to make with limited ingredients, almost like my own game of Chopped! Except this time, my wish was to not end up on the chopping block.
Ingredients:
1 8.8 oz. bag of couscous
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/3 cup of pepitas (toasted)
1 apple sliced thinly (I used Gala but you can use Fuji, Pink Lady, or any apple that has a sweeter taste)
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 tbsp of honey (agave syrup for vegan alternative)
1/8 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of crushed black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
Preparation:
Be sure to follow instructions on your packaging. I brought about 3 cups of water to a boil, added in the couscous, and cooked for about 8 minutes.
After the couscous is cooked, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside to let cool.
Next, begin slicing your apple thinly, as shown below:
After slicing the apples, measure out pepitas and throw them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees or until you hear the seeds begin to start popping. Keep a careful eye on these because they burn easily.
Next, juice the lemon. Now *drum roll please* we are finally ready to incorporate everything together into a beautiful harmony of colors and flavors.
Take the bowl of couscous and combine all the ingredients! It’s super simple and easy, has a perfect balance of flavors, and is guaranteed to be a favorite.
This dish can be paired perfectly with a simple grilled chicken, added on top of a stellar salad, or for my pescetarian friends, paired with grilled salmon.
This dish is easily prepared, healthy, and delicious. Hopefully there will even be some leftovers for you to take to lunch the next day.