Superfoods Salad

Tuesday 22 July 2014

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I contend that there is no such thing as a boring salad.   When we were first married Todd would moan when I would say that I had made a salad. He soon learned that my salads were nothing to turn your nose up at and more than a little bit interesting!




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I like to call this salad Superfoods Salad because it includes some of what are considered to be superfoods, ie.  foods that are really good for you . . .  like nuts, blueberries, grains,  greens, olive oil and citrus fruit . . . there's some cheese as well, but we won't talk about that. It is a hard cheese, so no worries, not a lot of fat in it.

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I used baby rocket for the greens today, but you could use kale or spinach or a mixture of greens.   Just be sure not to add them until the last minute prior to serving so that they don't wilt too much.

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You all know how much I love blueberries.  I eat them any which way I can.   I eat em like candy.   WE have six bushes in our garden now and I am awaiting those little berries ripening with great anticipation.  I go out and look at them every day . . .

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It's a bit like waiting for a pot to boil.   You wait and you wait and you wait and then all of a sudden, it boils!  

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I love LOVE Israeli or Pearl Couscous.  I buy the whole wheat one, toasted, by Merchant Gourmet.  It cooks up very quickly and I like to think that by it's being whole wheat, it's rather good for me.  Of course you could just as easily use cooked wheat berries or barley.  Both would be good and a bit chewy as well, which would be nice.

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I always toast my nuts before I use them.  It brings out even more of their natural flavour and adds lots of crunch. Just put them onto a baking sheet and bang them into a hot oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.  Rule of thumb for me is that as soon as I can smell them, I take them out! They're done perfectly.

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Each bite of this brings you a bit of chew from the couscous, a bit of sour yum from the capers, some sweetness from the berries, that peppery meatiness from the rocket and roasted crunch from the nuts . . .  all perfectly dressed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing.   DEEEE-licious. Absolutely.  It's the perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat, poultry or fish.

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*Superfoods Salad*
Serve 4 to 6
Printable Recipe


Blueberries, toasted nuts, pearl couscous, greens, grains, olive oil and citrus.  What's not to like?  It's delicious.  Tangy, sweet, crunchy and moreish.


1 cup of pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
2 heaped TBS of finely grated Parmesan cheese
the juice of one lemon
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS whole grain mustard
the finely grated zest of one lemon
1 TBS non pariel capers, rinsed and drained
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
a small handful of fresh parsley coarsely chopped
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans
a couple handfuls of rocket (baby arugula)

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Cook your couscous in lightly salted water according to the package directions.  Drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain again.

Whisk the Cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and lemon zest together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the couscous and toss to coat.  Toss in the capers, parsley, blueberries and nuts.   You can cover and chill it at this point, until you are ready to serve.  Just prior to serving add the rocket and toss all together. Serve immediately.

12 comments

  1. Hi Marie, I hope the starlings don't get there first, I had to put netting on my blueberry bush, and they are still eying it from the fence.... thanks for your lovely blog, I have been following for years. Gudrun

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  2. Marie, YOur photos didn't show on my computer. I did print the recipe and am taking it to Texas with me. It is 100*f there now and will be almost every day for the next month. I leave Aug. 24th. xo Jenny

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  3. OH dear Gundrun! Thankfully we haven't had them bother us yet. We do get lots of them, but Todd keeps the bird feeders well stocked and so far they have left our soft fruit alone! Thanks so much for your comment! It's nice that you finally made yourself known to me! xx

    Jenny, must be a glitch on your server as they are showing perfectly fine on mine! I Hope you enjoy Texax. I don't think I would like those HOT temps! I am not a heat lover! Must be the Canadian in me! xx

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  4. Marie yesterday i cooked Israeli couscous for the first time last night. I followed the directions and it stuck to the bottom of the saucepan and there was not much left after that. It was also very chewy. Any tips appreciated.

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  5. Suzan, I recommend using plenty of water, much more than they recommend on the box. Use a large pot so you can do this. Also keep the water at a rolling boil as you add it and trickle it in so that the water doesn't stop boiling. Also stir it very frequently during the cooking process. I would try a couple of pieces before I drain it to make sure it is done how you like it. Those are my tips! xxoo

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  6. PS - Don't overly salt the water. A little goes a long way. I have seen it recommended to cook it in stock, but I don't recommend that. It's a lot better to add flavour afterwards with proper seasoning.

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  7. Hi Marie, thanks for responding yesterday about the swirly background. I found when I use mi IPAD (almost always) if I tap the screen a couple times is changes over to white, yay! About this recipe, it sounds delicious and I'm wondering if it would work as well with quinoa ? What do you think ? Also, I have to let you know that I try your recipes on my good friend from the U.K., and she loves them..and no, she is not being polite..thanks!

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  8. Thanks Monique! That makes me smile!

    Sandy, I am so happy that I was able to find a way that you could read my page without the swirls interfering. I have worked and worked to find a solution for it, but I am afraid that it just doesn't work with macs! I discovered that last year when I was in Canada and at my sons! I am not a fan of quinoa, but by all means you could try it. My sister loves quinoa and she thought it would be great. I am just wondering if the quinoa might be too small. I'm not sure about what quantities of quinoa you might need so you will have to wing it! Thanks so much for telling me about your friend! That also makes me happy! Thank you so much! ☺

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  9. This would be a perfect dinner for tonight since it's so hot here. Tomorrow will be cooler, thank goodness! I like that you use the pearl couscous in it. Looks delicious. Sometimes I get a small container of Superfood Salad here in our Whole Foods Market. This is what they put in theirs...Kale, napa cabbage, shredded carrot, red onion, blueberry, edamame, grape tomato, cashew, goji berry, sunflower seed, acai dressing (acai juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, canola oil, salt, black pepper, cayenne, soy lecithin). I'm not a fan of edamame but they don't put much in and I can't taste it very much. ;-)


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  10. That sounds really good Valerie! I think I would like that. I like edamame, but not in large quantities! xxoo

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  11. Marie I made a version of this salad for our dinner. It used up the last of our pecans etc. The nuts were a little old so that was not the best. Everybody loved the dressing and that is to be a keeper I am told.

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