Video Recipe: Couscous Confetti Salad

If you're looking for an interesting recipe for a holiday luncheon or something to make ahead of time for a weekday work lunch, this salad has a wonderful combination of flavors.

This recipe calls for couscous, but I prefer to change it up a bit and use quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), a highly nutritious South American seed that is perfect for those that are gluten intolerant. Quinoa is rich in protein. In fact, it contains all of the essential amino acids. It is plentiful in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. Although quinoa is a seed, it looks like and cooks like a grain. Make sure to rinse it well prior to cooking, if it doesn't already come pre-rinsed, to remove a bitter residue that coats the seeds.

Makes about 8 1-cup servings.

1.5 cups dry whole wheat couscous (I prefer to use quinoa.)

2 cups boiling water

3-4 green onions, finely chopped, including tops

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 carrot, grated

1-2 cups finely shredded red cabbage

0.5 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

0.5 cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots

the juice of 1 lemon

0.25 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

1.5 teaspoons salt

In a large bowl, combine couscous and boiling water. Stir to mix, then cover and let stand until all the water has been absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Add green onions, bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, parsley, and raisins or apricots.

In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, vinegar, oil, curry powder, and salt. Add to salad and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

This recipe is from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's 21-Day Vegan Kick Start Program.

I am a Plant-Based Nutrition Counselor, a graduate of Cornell University's plant-based nutrition program, the only program in the country which focuses on the medical benefits of a low-fat, plant-based lifestyle, and am board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I help people to achieve their wellness goals by providing them with the tools that they need to gain control over their health. I hope you enjoy my blogs. If you would prefer individualized assistance with your weight, with a chronic, degenerative disease, with other health and wellness aspirations, or if you would like me to speak to a group, please give me a call at 724.469.0693 or email me at traceyeakin@gmail.com to arrange a time.

I can personally attest to this lifestyle. The results are nothing short of dramatic. I had been a vegetarian for 20 years when 3 years ago I adopted an entirely plant-based lifestyle. Since that time, I have lost over 50 pounds and have kept it off and resolved an autoimmune condition known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or ITP. My body was attacking and destroying my platelets. I could have faced platelet transfusions or the removal of my spleen. A low-fat, plant-based lifestyle changed everything for me. My goal is to help as many people as possible to make similar positive changes in their lives.

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