Description
Some foods are just meh, and some make you wonder, Where have you been all my life? This salad? Definitely the second one. It’s got history (couscous has been around for centuries), a little love (handpicked ingredients, including my granddaughter’s homegrown mint), and plenty of perks.
First, the flavor, sweet dates, crunchy almonds, zesty dressing, and creamy couscous? Yeah, it works. Second, it’s actually good for you, packed with fiber, protein, and all the good stuff your body loves. And third? It’s ridiculously easy to throw together, whether you’re making lunch, impressing friends, or just trying to use up what’s in the pantry.
So grab a bowl. This one’s worth it.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (312 ml) cooked Israeli couscous
- 1 large can (13.66 FL oz) coconut milk + same can filled with water
- 90-100 g slivered almonds, toasted (honestly, the more, the better)
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 250 ml grated carrots (kept a few sliced ones for decoration, because why not?)
- 1 can (400 ml) chickpeas, drained
- 70-100 g arugula (about half a punnet)
- 6 big, juicy dates, pitted and chopped (next time, I’m adding more)
- 50 ml capers
- 6 chunky sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Dressing That Actually Matters
- 90 ml olive oil
- 25 ml fresh lemon juice
- 25 ml orange juice (store-bought, extra pulp, it just works)
- 25 ml maple syrup
- 5 ml cinnamon
- 5 ml ground ginger
- 5 ml turmeric
- 2 ml salt
- 1 ml dried mint (straight from my granddaughter’s garden, pretty much the VIP ingredient)
Instructions
- Cook the couscous in coconut milk and water.
- Bring it to a boil, let it simmer for about 12–15 minutes, and give it a stir here and there.
- Drain, rinse under cold water to nix the stickiness, then fluff it up. A little olive oil keeps it from clumping.
- Toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring until they turn golden and smell amazing. Let them cool.
- Shake up the dressing in a jar like you mean it. Set it aside.
- Toss everything, couscous, shallots, grated carrots, chickpeas, arugula, dates, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers into a big bowl.
- Just before serving, throw in the toasted almonds, pour over the dressing, and mix it all up.
- Leftovers? If you have any (I doubt it), they’ll keep in the fridge for up to three days.
This salad hits all the right notes: creamy, crunchy, a little sweet, a little tangy, and totally satisfying. I didn’t expect it to be this good, but here we are. Try it. You’ll see.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested by Esme from SA Tasty Recipes, Saffas Daily Recipes, and EsmeSalon Homemade Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 415
- Sugar: 13.6 g
- Sodium: 307.5 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 6.6 g
- Protein: 9.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
