Man on a Couscous Mission

Here’s a great money saving and healthy eating tip. Every Sunday, create a lunch and dinner menu for that week. That way, you won’t splurge on an unhealthy expensive meal out because you’re too tired to figure out what you want to eat when you get home. I went out of town for a bachelorette party last weekend, and when I came home, fiance had planned out our whole week of eating. It included a new recipe to add to our repertoire and he was on quite a mission to execute. It was a Chicken and Couscous Salad that he found on MyRecipes.com.

This meal was really quick and beautiful. Tons of colors. It’s great as an entree and would also be good as a side dish for entertaining.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (5.7-ounce) box uncooked couscous
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup diced radishes (about 3 large)
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:

• To prepare salad, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous.
• Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon couscous into a large bowl; cool slightly.
• Add chicken, onions, radishes, cucumber, parsley, and pine nuts; toss gently to combine.
• To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to combine.

Note: You can toast nuts quickly in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir frequently, and as soon as they become fragrant, remove the nuts from the pan.