Saturday, July 7, 2018

Israeli Couscous Salad-Another Cheat Recipe

I'm going to my sisters for a late Independence Day party. She's got Walking Tacos and hot dogs for the grill and has asked folks to bring sides to share. We made a batch of Peanut Butter cookies and I'm about to start a crock pot past dish. I also made my version of an Israeli couscous salad. Last year at a work conference, a similar salad was on the buffet and I just loved it. I found an easy way to make a cheater version of it. 



Make one box of Pearl or Israeli Couscous according to directions. Mine was garlic and olive oil. I slightly under cook as it will soak up some of the dressing and vegetable juices. Set aside to cool
Dice one large cucumber and either 1 large or a couple small tomatoes and stir together in a large bowl. I cheated here too as I didn't have a tomato so drained a can of petite diced tomato's, saving the juice for the  pasta dish, and added 1/2 the can, about three quarters of a cup worth.
Add pepper and garlic to taste.
Once the couscous is coolish, or even slightly warm still, stir in with the cucumbers and tomato's
For the dressing, I made a simple balsamic vinaigrette dissolving a tablespoon of sugar in 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. I then shook with two more tablespoons of olive oil.
Pour over the couscous, tomato's, and cucumbers. Sit, and chill. 

This is light and refreshing and so simple. Even if only DD2 and I eat it, as my family is not always the most adventurous, it will not go to waste as I could eat the whole bowl. 


7 comments:

  1. I am not a fan of couscous but it looks good enough that I would try it! Texture is a big thing to me and there is something about the texture. What are walking tacos?

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    1. It does have different texture than other grains or pasta. I like the way it tastes with the seasonings and the cucumber. Walking taco's, famed at school event concession stands, are basically a snack size bag of chips-Dorito's, Frito's etc. used in the bag as the base for tacos instead of a taco shell. The taco fixings go on top of the chip bag and you eat the taco out of the bag with a fork. They are portable! Sometimes people just say Taco in a bag, but Walking Taco became the general menu name.

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    2. OMG does that sound GOOD!!!!

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  2. I like couscous and pearl couscous is best for mixing with other things. This sounds great!

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    1. Either the salad wasn't a hit, or there was too many choices-probably both. I'll be enjoying for lunch this week-for several days. I don't mind as it will be a change of pace for me.

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  3. Walking tacos...that's something new to me.
    Arilx

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    1. They are tasty-basically y just tacos fixings over a snack size bag of chips like Doritos or Fritos, using the bag to hold it all together, eating with a fork. Much neater for sporting events, school food concessions, and very popular now at parties and get togethers.

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