Eye for a Recipe

This salad from Chatelaine is supposed to serve four, but it was so good the two of us ate it all in one sitting. This is a great way to use up the green beans, cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano from your garden.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use a red wine vinegar with no sulfites added, such as Eden Organic brand. Look for shrimp and feta with no additives or preservatives.

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a large bowl

Cook the beans in boiling water until tender-crisp

Keep the cherry tomatoes whole if they are small

Cook the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes

Toss everything together and enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups (500 ml) trimmed green beans

12 oz (340 g) frozen peeled shrimp, thawed

4 cups (1 L) thinly sliced romaine lettuce

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup (250 ml) crumbled feta

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved if large

Preparation:

Whisk oil with vinegar, oregano and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Season with fresh pepper.

Boil a pot of water. Add green beans and cook until tender crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water and pat dry. You can boil the shrimp in the same water or sauté them in a pan with oil. Cook until shrimp turns pink, about 3 min.

Add beans and shrimp to dressing, along with romaine and onion. Toss until coated. Add feta and tomatoes. Serves 2-4.

From Chatelaine

This hearty salad from Style at Home keeps well because it is made with Israeli couscous, a toasted pasta shaped into tiny balls a little smaller than peas. The recipe is just a guide; you can be very creative with this dish. I skipped roasting the tomatoes, left out the tuna and halloumi, and added sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and a Dijon mustard without preservatives such as President’s Choice Old Fashioned Dijon. Other ingredients that may include additives are the tuna, beans, artichoke hearts, capers and halloumi.

Toast the dry Israeli couscous to bring out its nutty flavour

You can add lot of ingredients to the couscous, including tomatoes, artichoke hearts and herbs

Toss with a lemony dressing

Ingredients:

Lemon chive dressing

2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped shallots

2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped chives

2 tsp (10 ml) lemon zest

1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard

½ tsp (2.5 ml) sea salt

½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

For salad

1 pint (250 ml) multicoloured cherry tomatoes

3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1- ½ cups (375 ml) uncooked Israeli couscous

1 5-oz jar (150 g) chunk Italian tuna in olive oil

1 18-oz jar (532 ml) large butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup (250 ml) quartered fire-roasted marinated artichoke hearts

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tbsp (15 ml) capers, rinsed

9 oz (255 g) halloumi, cut into 6 pieces

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C0

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the lemon chive dressing; set aside.

Cut the tomatoes in half and lay them, cut sides up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are a little wrinkly but still moist. Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil in a pot over medium heat; add the garlic and cook until just sizzling.

Add the Israeli couscous and stir to coat in the garlic oil. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring, until lightly toasted and then add 2 cups (500 ml) cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Remove from the heat, stirring to fluff.

Pour the lemon chive dressing over the couscous and stir to combine. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes, tuna, butter beans, artichoke hearts, basil and capers. Stir gently to combine.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the halloumi slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden. Serve the Israeli couscous salad warm, topped with the grilled halloumi. Serves 4 to 6.

From Style at Home

This lovely summer salad from Cook’s Illustrated combines cooked Israeli couscous with pickled shallots, fresh greens, herbs, peas, pistachios and feta cheese.  Israeli couscous is a toasted pasta shaped in tiny balls, about the size of small peas. You can boil it like pasta, or let it absorb water, like rice. Cook’s Note: Prepare the shallots and let them pickle while you continue with the rest of the recipe.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for a red wine vinegar without sulphites; I use Eden Organic brand. Use fresh lemon juice and check the pistachios for colour and sulphites. Select a feta cheese with all-natural ingredients such as Tre Stelle.

Pickle the shallots first

Toasting the couscous before cooking brings out its nutty flavour

Use lots of greens and mint

Frozen peas are fine if fresh are not available

Israeli couscous with lemon, mint, peas, feta and pickled shallots

Ingredients:

Couscous

2 cups (500 ml) Israeli couscous

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 ½ cups water (625 ml)

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt

Salad

1/3 cup (75 ml) red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar

Salt and pepper

2 shallots, sliced thin

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice

1 teaspoon (5 ml) Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) red pepper flakes

1 recipe couscous (see above), cooled

4 cups (1 L) baby arugula, roughly chopped

1 cup (250 ml) fresh mint leaves, torn

½ cup (125 ml) frozen peas, thawed

½ cup (125 ml) shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped

3 ounces (185 ml) feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

Couscous

Heat couscous and oil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until about half of grains are golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add water and salt; stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed, 9 to 12 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let stand, covered, for 3 minutes. Serve.

Salad

Bring vinegar, sugar, and pinch salt to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove pan from heat, add shallots, and stir to combine. Cover and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Drain and discard liquid.

Whisk oil, lemon juice, mustard, pepper flakes, and 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) salt together in large bowl. Add cooled couscous, arugula, mint, peas, 6 tablespoons (90 ml) pistachios, ½ cup (125 ml) feta, and shallots and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to serving bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup feta (60 ml) and remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pistachios and serve. Serves 4.

From Cook’s Illustrated

This colourful salad from Chatelaine is a great side dish with grilled meat or seafood, and it would also be a good vegetarian entrée. Roast squash and toss with peppery arugula, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and feta. Drizzle with an apple juice-Dijon vinaigrette and enjoy.

Roast the squash until tender and beginning to brown

The squash and sweet dressing complement peppery arugula

Top with crumbled feta and dried cranberries

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for a Dijon mustard without benzoate of soda or sulfites – I use President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon. Make sure the feta does not contain preservatives and that the cranberries do not contain sulfites. I used Ocean Spray craisins, which are additive-free.

Ingredients:

¾ cup (174 ml) apple juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 tbsp (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard

1 butternut squash, about 1.4 kg, washed well

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt

4 cups (1 L) baby arugula

1 cup (250 ml) crumbled feta

¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 tbsp (30 ml) dried cranberries

Preparation:

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat to 400 F (200 C). Line 2 large baking sheets with foil.

Boil apple juice with vinegar and garlic in a small saucepan. Boil until reduced to ¼ cup (60 ml) about 10 min. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil and Dijon.

Cut a large, shallow slit through the skin of squash. Microwave on high to make it easier to cut, 3 to 5 min. Slice unpeeled squash in half and discard seeds. Cut into 1/3-in.-thick (0.8 cm) slices. Toss with remaining oil, honey and salt until coated. Spread out on prepared baking sheets. Roast until just tender and edges are starting to brown, about 15 min.

Divide arugula among plates. Top with warm squash. Drizzle with dressing. Top with feta, pepitas and cranberries. Serves 4.

From Chatelaine

Cooking fish and other ingredients inside parchment paper is a great cooking method. It’s quick, healthy and doesn’t dirty any pots or pans! The October 2014 issue of Real Simple includes six recipes for fish in parchment packets. I tried the one featuring fish with cherry tomatoes, onion and olives. It was delicious. Cook’s note: If you are like me, you may have trouble folding the parchment to obtain a tight seal. The solution? Use a stapler.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The olives and Feta may contain artificial ingredients. I use Pilaros brand black olives from Costco and Tre Stelle Feta.

Place all the ingredients but the Feta on large sheets of parchment paper

Fold the edges together to form a packet; you can staple it

The fish and other ingredients will steam inside the packets

Tomato, onion, black olive and Feta fish packet

Ingredients:

4 6-ounce (175 g) pieces boneless, skinless cod, salmon, or bass

2 cups (500 ml) halved cherry tomatoes

¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup (75 ml) halved pitted black olives

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 ½ ounces (45 g) Feta, crumbled (about 1/3 cup/75 g)

Preparation:

Heat oven to 425° F (210°C. Place the fish, tomatoes, onion, olives, oil, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper on 4 11-by-15-inch (28 x 38 cm) pieces of parchment, dividing evenly. Fold the parchment over the fish, then seal each packet by folding the edges over twice.

Transfer the packets to a baking sheet. Bake until the fish is opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes.

Transfer the packets to plates and use scissors to make a small X in the top of each packet.

Tear open carefully (they will probably release steam) and top with the Feta. Serves 4.

From the October 2014 issue of Real Simple