Alright, I have a confession. Halloween aside, I really, REALLY dislike the holidays. Frankly, if there were no family obligations to consider, I would choose not to celebrate at all. My reasoning goes something like this. Holidays are expensive, a ton of work and filled with heightened expectations where someone always winds up disappointed. Not to mention that many businesses go on a month long hiatus, making it difficult to get any work done. Currently my husband and I are neck-deep in a major house renovation project, scrambling to get things like kitchen cabinets ordered and major projects finished before the experts and their businesses shut down for the festivities.
The one aspect of the holidays I actually do enjoy is the food. Planning it, cooking it, eating it - I love it all!
For the most part, I try to make people happy by cooking the traditional foods everyone expects. Once that's done, it frees me up to make a couple of new dishes, many of which become requests for future gatherings.
This salad is an idea I am considering serving this year. It turns seasonal ingredients into a light, quick and healthy side dish that everyone will love. The creamy sweet and sour cranberry dressing is balanced by the sugary raisins, nutty pecans, spicy ginger and seasoned couscous. The jewel tones are so pretty and festive that everyone will want to try a bite.
If you choose to garnish the salad with fresh cranberries, be sure to warn your guests that they are only for looks!
Happy Eating!
The one aspect of the holidays I actually do enjoy is the food. Planning it, cooking it, eating it - I love it all!
For the most part, I try to make people happy by cooking the traditional foods everyone expects. Once that's done, it frees me up to make a couple of new dishes, many of which become requests for future gatherings.
This salad is an idea I am considering serving this year. It turns seasonal ingredients into a light, quick and healthy side dish that everyone will love. The creamy sweet and sour cranberry dressing is balanced by the sugary raisins, nutty pecans, spicy ginger and seasoned couscous. The jewel tones are so pretty and festive that everyone will want to try a bite.
If you choose to garnish the salad with fresh cranberries, be sure to warn your guests that they are only for looks!
Happy Eating!
Ingredients:
Salad:
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup feta cheese
handful baby spinach
Dressing:
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, plus 1/4 cup reserved
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons water, optional*
Directions:
To make the salad: Bring 1 & 1/4 cups of water to a boil in saucepan. Add the couscous and simmer for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a strainer and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. In a large bowl, combine the couscous with the pecans, raisins, ginger, salt and pepper. Gently fold in the cheese and spinach. Spoon onto a serving platter, garnish with reserved cranberries and set aside.
To make the dressing: place all of the ingredients except the water in a high speed blender or food processor and puree until smooth. If the mixture seems a little dry, add the water one tablespoon at a time until smooth. Pour the dressing into a dish to serve alongside the salad.
Yield: 4 servings
Salad:
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup feta cheese
handful baby spinach
Dressing:
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, plus 1/4 cup reserved
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons water, optional*
Directions:
To make the salad: Bring 1 & 1/4 cups of water to a boil in saucepan. Add the couscous and simmer for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a strainer and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. In a large bowl, combine the couscous with the pecans, raisins, ginger, salt and pepper. Gently fold in the cheese and spinach. Spoon onto a serving platter, garnish with reserved cranberries and set aside.
To make the dressing: place all of the ingredients except the water in a high speed blender or food processor and puree until smooth. If the mixture seems a little dry, add the water one tablespoon at a time until smooth. Pour the dressing into a dish to serve alongside the salad.
Yield: 4 servings
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