Dryuary Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

Last year, I didn’t eat meat or drink alcohol (unless I was at Blue Hill in New York since I made the reservation in November) for the month of January. This wasn’t a resolution so much as a staving off death measure. For whatever reason, December 2011 was so wet it required a Dryuary. Fortunately, December 2012 wasn’t quite so crazy and a full on Dryuary wasn’t required. But here’s a salad I’ve come to think of as the salad I eat with Rebekah. We made it together on a girl’s night recently and lately it’s worked its way into the assemblage/weeknight/healthy eating lineup. There’s lots of flavor and plenty of protein. 4 cups of greens (I like arugula, butter lettuce and romaine, probably because that was what was on hand) 2 ounces of feta; crumbled 4 ounces chickpeas 4 ounces olives 2 whole oranges; segmented 4 carrots rough chopped and steamed dressing 2 tablespoons olive oil salt (to taste- for me, around ¼ teaspoon) pepper (to taste- for me, around ¼ teaspoon) 1 tablespoon honey orange juice from the waste from segmenting the oranges 4 ounces fresh herbs (mint, thyme, parsley or some combination thereof are great) Steam the … Continue reading

Cous Cous with Pomegranates

I absolutely love making this Cous Cous with Pomegranates salad all winter long. It pairs well with almost any protein, or it’s great on its own. I love it because of the vibrant colors and flavors of the mint and pomegranate kernels. I also love all of the textures. The chewy cous cous, the tart juice explosions from the pomegranates, the crunch of the pine nuts, and the salty creaminess of the feta combine to make a truly interesting salad that can stand up to a strong bold main, like my lamb kofta, or make even the simplest of chicken preparations really exciting. It’s fun to serve for a dinner party because of the visual appeal And after you check out my panty tip on opening pomegranates, you can master the technique and add a lot more of the beautiful fruit into your salads year round to wow your palette and your guests alike. Whether you make this Cous Cous with Pomegranates salad on its own as an easy weeknight meal or as the side for a Middle Eastern Feast of your own, I’m sure you’re love it. … Continue reading