Hi there! I do know it’s cliché however it might not really feel proper to start out this primary blogpost of the 12 months and not using a correct greeting. I hope you’ve all had pretty, cozy and stress-free Holidays. Whereas I’m generelly not the New Yr’s resolutions form of particular person, I do have one decision for 2020. It’s lastly doing issues that can make my life and work simpler. The issues that I’ve someway at all times accepted as the established order, however that drive me loopy each time. 
Examples of this embody tremendous boring issues similar to a lacking hair pin that I want after I curle my hair occaisionally, the truth that I shouldn’t have sufficient space for storing on my pc or that I solely personal one battery for my digital camera. One way or the other I’ve managed with out all this stuff prior to now, however think about how way more productive I’d be after I really fastened a few of these “issues”. Whereas some fixes can be costly, some price as little as 1 Euro. Largely it’s simply my very own laziness that stops me from tackling this stuff, and that’s why I’ve determined to not let laziness outline this 12 months. Which brings me to as we speak’s recipe.
In terms of cooking wholesome meals it’s normally not laziness that stops us from getting artistic within the kitchen. It’s resolution fatigue and an absence of concepts. If this pertains to you, then as we speak’s 15-minute meal prep couscous salad is unquestionably your form of recipe. All it’s essential do is make investments quarter-hour into your well being per week, and also you’ll have a scrumptious lunch ready for you within the fridge 4 days in a row. Cook dinner as soon as, eat 4 occasions! Now if that doesn’t sound promising, I have no idea what does.
Whereas I’ve shared fairly a couple of meal prep recipes on the weblog already, this one if by far the only. It’s one recipe that you simply’ll divide equally into 4 lunch packing containers. This would possibly sound boring to start with, however meal prepping is principally a few) nice style and b) simplicity. The extra difficult a meal prep recipe is, the much less probably we’re to really give it a attempt.
For these extra superior and skilled cooks, I’ve shared some easy concepts to improve this recipe, so that you shouldn’t have to eat the identical factor 4 days in a row. Nonetheless, I wager that you simply’ll nonetheless be excited to eat it on day 4, just because it’s ready for you within the fridge. That is my understanding of luxurious.
A final be aware on the lunch packing containers. I used glass containers from a widely known Swedish furnishings retailer just because I’ve had them for ages. You possibly can after all additionally use outdated glas jars. It’s simply essential that you simply use air-tight containers to ensure that the salad to remain recent for as much as 4 days. You don’t want fancy tupperware or purchase new glass or chrome steel lunch packing containers to do meal prep. I do, nevertheless, advocate storing the dressing in seperate, small and leak-free glass containers. Use about 3 tablespoons of dressings per salad.
Heavenly for physique and soul, as a result of …
… meal prep recipes allow us to eat wholesome throughout busy weekdays. A scarcity of time is usually the primary purpose why we fail to eat wholesome through the week. That’s precisely the place this salad is available in. All you want is quarter-hour to prep a healty lunch for 4 days.
15-minute meal prep couscous salad
Whole Time: quarter-hour
Yield: 4 1x
For the couscous:
- 200 g natural whole-grain couscous (use a gluten-free one if wanted, I exploit Alnavit natural corn & ric couscous)
- 200 ml sizzling, however not boiling water
- 2 tablespoons of Ajvar (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- the juice ½ lemon
- 3 spring onions
- a great pinch of sea or rock salt and pepper
For the salad:
- 1 cucumber
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 jar or tin of chickpeas (240 g drained weight)
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 bunch of rocket salad
- two handfuls of child spinach
- 1 handful of parsley
For the dressing:
- 8 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- the juice ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or rice syrup (or honey)
- ½ teaspoon sea or rock salt and pepper
Directions
- For the couscous, combine the new water with Ajvar, salt and pepper and pour it over the couscous. Combine properly and let it sit for 5 minutes. Season to style with the olive oil and lemon juice and extra salt and pepper if essential.
- For the salad, minimize all elements besides rocket and child spinach into bite-sized items and drain the chickpeas. Roughly chop the parsley and blend all elements in a bowl.
- Wash the rocket and spinach properly and spin-dry or dab dry.
- For the dressing, combine all elements in a leak-proof glass container.
- Divide the couscous between 4 lunch packing containers, then add ½ bunch of rocket or a handful of child spinach and at last fill it up with the salad (see images).
- Add the dressing simply earlier than consuming (approx. 2-3 tbsp. per salad), to ensure that the elements to remain recent so long as doable.
- One final be aware: the recipe is designed to maintain the person elements recent, therefore the compartmentalization of the completely different salad componets. All the pieces ought to be eaten collectively after all, so once you’re able to eat, pour the dressing within the bowl, put the lid on and shake rigorously.
Notes
- As a substitute of ajvar, harissa or mojo rojo may also be used. All pastes are primarily based on bell peppers and provides the neutral-tasting couscous a heavenly aroma. You will get Ajvar, Harissa or Mojo Rojo a jar in any grocery store, I favor to purchase it in natural high quality.
- If you happen to like, you may marinate 200 g of diced tofu with 2 tablespoons of tamari, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and fry till golden brown. Place the tofu in a fourth layer subsequent to the salad leaves within the lunch field.
- If you happen to don’t have Ajvar or Mojo Rojo at hand, you may combine 2 tablespoons of tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of paprika powder, some olive oil and salt as an alternative. You may also pour vegetable inventory over the couscous as an alternative of water. On this case, nevertheless, the extra salt have to be omitted or lowered.
- After all the recipe may be tailored to your consuming habits. This recipe is vegan by nature, gluten-free and with out refined sugar and subsequently a great foundation for a lot of types of vitamin.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook dinner Time: 5
