Here stands a photo of my last meal. Well, that's not entirely true. It's the last thing i cooked before i started my fast this week. In addition to not eating (it's only for two days...but...two days!?!), Typepad hasn't been letting me work on the blog here...so things have been a little rough around running with tweezers.
Trying to think back on this salad (it's been days...and days with no food...memory...a...little...hazy...), I came across this recipe browsing through this month's Everyday Food. Say what you want about Miss Martha, this is a cute read with lots of easy recipes. Not having had couscous in a while, this salad stuck out. It couldn't have been easier to throw together. From start to finish, assembly took about 10 minutes. The most taxing thing about it was picking the basil leaves off my plants. For a little extra healthy spin, I used whole wheat couscous. When seasoning the couscous, I also threw in some garlic and red chili flakes for some extra oomph. Don't skimp on the seasonings, whichever ones you choose - it soaks up a lot of flavors.
Couscous Salad with Baby Spinach and Pistachios - serves 2 - originally found in the June 2007 Everyday Food
- coarse salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
- In a small saucepan with a lid, bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; stir in couscous. Cover, and let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add couscous and, if using, scallions; toss to combine. Refrigerate couscous in one airtight container, spinach and basil in another, up to overnight. Store nuts at room temperature. Just before serving, toss all ingredients together.
