It’s been quite a while since I posted a recipe. I will confess that after the Whole30 ended I fell off the wagon for a while until I realized how miserable eating dairy, gluten, and (too much) sugar made me feel. While I’m certainly not going back to any sort of restriction diet (<3 whole grain bread and jelly beans), I’m trying to my best to stick to food that don’t make me feel physically and mentally gross.
Another reason I derailed was due to the fact that my kitchen was out of use for a while. Don’t worry, no pipe explosions or hostile take over by the water bugs – my kitchen was in boxes because we moved! We said so long to the Brooklyn and hello to Queens. It’s only been a week, but I have to say Astoria already feels like home. Not only does the area feel like friends and family, we also happen to be walking to distance to friend and family! With a new back yard, I’m looking forward to adding some grilling recipes to my repertoire. Sadly, it’s still winter in the city so I’m still confined to my stove, but at least I’m back in the kitchen!
Last week I needed a side dish to go along with tilapia, so I decided to embrace our new greek neighbors and came up with a greek couscous salad. I used large pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, because I find it works better with the ingredients I used, plus I found a whole-grain version! I used feta cheese sparingly – even though I try to limit dairy, it felt wrong not to include it.
I’m looking forward to exploring our new neighborhood and making more meals at home again, now that our kitchen is unpacked and ready to go. Maybe I’ll venture into more mediterranean cooking. Bring on the hummus and falafel!
Greek Couscous Salad
Yields 4 servings
1 cup uncooked whole-grain large pearl ( or Israeli) couscous
1 Tbs EVOO
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
Large handful of fresh spinach, chopped
½ cup kalamata olives, chopped
¼ cup feta cheese chopped
Cook the couscous according to the package. Chop tomatoes, spinach, olives, and feta – feel free to add more/less based on personal preference. Let the couscous cool for a few minutes and then pour into a bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Enjoy!
(Mental) Healthly Living 