Healthy Kid-Friendly Recipes, Fruited Couscous Salad

What Is Couscous?

In case you don't know couscous is a Middle-Eastern pasta available in specialty markets and in large supermarkets. In my area which is North Carolina Wal-Mart has several kinds of couscous to choose from.Couscous was voted the third favorite food of the French people in 2011. It is a staple and very popular food choice in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. To this day couscous is known as the National dish of North Africa and in a fruit salad couscous adds a lot of depth and flavor. And in case you don't know couscous is among the healthiest grain based products. Couscous has 3.6 grams of protein for every 100 calories. It has a glycemic load per gram 25 percent below that of pasta. Couscous has twice as much niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and folate than pasta. In a one cup serving of couscous there are 176 calories with 2 calories from fat. So you really can't find a much healthier product than couscous.

Every time I've made this delicious fruit salad all the kids have just simply loved it so I thought I would share this kid friendly recipe with everyone. If you don't have fresh mint growing or have a friend that has it growing you can usually find fresh mint for sale in the larger supermarkets in your area.

Be sure to set the orange juice concentrate out ahead of time and let it thaw out so you can use it in your recipe. I have about started using course ground sea salt in all my recipes because it is much more nutritious and healthy for you than just plain table salt.

Fruited Couscous Salad Ingredients

1. One And One Half Cups Hot Water.

2. One Teaspoon Course Ground Sea Salt.

3. One Half Cup Defrosted Orange Juice Concentrate.

4. Two Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar.

5. One Tablespoon White Granulated Sugar.

6. One Tablespoon Vegetable Oil.

7. One Teaspoon Grated Orange Peel.

8. One Cup Fresh Blueberries.

9. One Cup Fresh Raspberries.

10. One Cup Strawberries Hulled And Cut Up In Slices.

11. Two Fresh Peaches Pitted And Cut Into Small Pieces.

12. Two Large Plums , Pitted And Cut Into Small Pieces.

13. One Fourth Cup Fresh Mint Leaves Washed And Well Drained.

You may find you can't get a fruit or berry available that I have on the above list of ingredients. If blackberries are available but blueberries aren't then use the blackberries. Nectarines and mango's also go very well in this salad. Nothing is written in stone but keep in mind that the below nutritional facts are based on making the salad with the ingredients called for in the list. But either way this salad will be kid friendly and healthy both for kids and adults. It's one of my favorite salads. I like to serve this salad with steamed whole tilipia. The two go great together.

I like to leave the skin on my peaches but you can remove the skin if you wish. You get a lot more fiber if you eat the skins of peaches and apples.

If you've never eaten couscous before don't be afraid to try it as its so delicious. If you make the recipe on this page I think you'll find that its truly one of the best things you'll ever eat in your life. You can eat the salad as it is or you can make it part of a larger meal.

Another thing its really good with is lamb kebobs, cucumber dressing and steamed pita bread. Oh man it's making me hungry just thinking about it,

You want to start by combining your water and salt in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Now stir in your couscous. Cover the sauce pan with its lid. Remove from heat and let it stand for five minutes covered. You now want to fluff your couscous with a fork. Now pour it out into a medium mixing bowl and set it aside.

Now in a 2 cup measuring cup with a wire whisk combine your orange juice concentrate, vinegar, sugar, oil and grated orange peel in the 2 cup measuring cup. Blend very well with your wire whisk. Add half of the juice mixture to your bowl of couscous. Mix well then cover and chill for at least one hour.

After one hour add the remaining juice mixture and the rest of your ingredients to the couscous mixture. Toss gently with a wooden spoon or two to combine everything and get the juice mixed through out the dish insuring that everything gets coated with the juice. You can line your serving dish with lettuce if you like or you can make a serving dish out of a watermelon and serve your fruited couscous salad in a watermelon bowl. I like to do this by cutting my watermelon so it resembles a basket with a handle like a watermelon. Do that and I guarantee you that kids will get excited about your fruited couscous salad.

I discovered couscous many years ago and I'm really surprised that it's not more popular here in the United States than it is. It's wonderful combined with fruits in a salad and another really great way to have it is with steamed vegetables. I really like how healthy it is for you. I often chop broccoli very fine and mix it with couscous and I have some of the most delicious broccoli couscous salad that you've ever had in your life.

Thank you for reading my Hub Page on Fruited Couscous Salad. It's a easy recipe to make and it really is delicious. So be sure to give it a try.