Eye for a Recipe

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 tasty stir-fry from Canadian Living includes soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat flour. While you marinate the shrimp for a few minutes, cook the noodles in boiling water and drain. Stir fry the garlic, ginger and snow peas, then add the shrimp mixture and cook until the shrimp are done. Add the cooked noodles and mix until they are warmed through.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce, which usually contains MSG or sodium benzoate. I use Marukan rice vinegar and frozen shrimp with nothing added. Check the cashews to make sure they are additive-free.

Marinate the shrimp for a few minutes

Boil, drain and rinse soba noodles

Saute snow peas

Shrimp, snow pea and cashew stir-fry

Ingredients:

6 oz (175 g) soba noodles

2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar

2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil

2 green onions, sliced

8 oz (250 g) medium shrimp , peeled and deveined

1 tbsp (15 mml) canola oil

1 tsp (5 ml) grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, grated

2/3 lb (300 g) snow peas

½ cup (125 ml) unsalted roasted cashews

Preparation:

Cook soba noodles according to package directions; rinse under cold water and drain. Set aside.

In bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and onions. Add shrimp and toss to coat; set aside.

In wok or nonstick skillet, heat canola oil over high heat; stir-fry ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add snow peas; cook until slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Scrape shrimp mixture into wok; stir-fry until shrimp are pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add noodles and toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with cashews. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living