Crouton Salad

A salad is not a meal.. It is a style... "Fran Lebowitz"

A well made salad is the easiest way to impress anybody with your culinary skills.. As summers have set in early here, I dont feel like spending most of my time in the kitchen.. So im trying to whip up different kinds of salads which can serve as a healthy meal and also save my time in the kitchen.. So here's a salad made using croutons which makes it a filling meal..

Crouton is derived from a French word "croute",  which means crust..These are basically toasted / baked / pan fried pieces of bread.. Generally, the bread used here is a day ol bread, which gives a better crust and crispiness than a fresh bread.. So, if you have any stale bread left, it can be used to make these croutons, which can be used in countless ways.. Garnish your soup with these croutons, pep them up with some cheese and seasonings and serve as a snack or turn them into a salad.. It is sure to make you keep munching on these more and more..

Ingredients:

4 slices brown bread

1 small onion chopped

1 tomato deseeded and chopped

1/2 capsicum chopped

1/2 cucumber chopped

1/4 cup purple cabbage chopped

For dressing:

3tbsp olive oil

1tbsp mustard paste

1.5tbsp balsamic vinegar

1tsp powdered sugar

Salt to taste

1/2tsp black pepper powder

Method - Mix all ingredients of dressing and whisk well until well incorporated.. Keep aside for the flavors to blend for 15-20 minutes.. Meanwhile remove the crust of bread and chop into medium size croutons.. Spread on a baking sheet and bake in a pre - heated oven at 180c for around 5 - 7 minutes (turning the croutons once mid way)  till it becomes crunchy and color changes to golden brown..  In a bowl add all the chopped veggies and pour the dressing.. Mix well to coat all the veggies.. Just before serving add the croutons and mix with light hands.. Garnish with parsley or olives or mixed herbs and serve..

Note - You can add veggies as per your choice and taste..

Add croutons to salad just before serving, otherwise it tends to get soggy..

You can substitute balsamic vinegar with regular vinegar / apple cider vinegar / lemon juice

Couscous Salad With Grilled Vegetables in Honey Vinaigrette dressing

               

Few years back when my brother stayed in Germany and when i went to visit him, that was the first time I had couscous in a farmer's market.. It had a very soft texture and was subtle in taste.. I loved the taste of it.. And then i started surfing the net on what couscous is and how it is made..

Couscous originated in North Africa, consisting of tiny granules made from steamed semolina.. These tiny white pearls are bland in flavor,  and so they readily soak up the flavor from other ingredients added to it... 

There were many versions available to it with the varying water content to soak couscous and the flavors differing according to the taste and preference.. One thing i could derive was couscous was made with mild flavors and spices keeping it subtle..

From then on I made couscous quite a few time and then settled on this version below.. I like to keep it simple and serve with grilled vegetables on the side..

Ingredients for couscous

1 cup couscous

2cup boiling water + 1tsp salt + 2tsp olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil

3-4tbsp spring oions chopped (white part)

1 medium size tomato deseeded and chopped

3-4 spring greens chopped

Salt

Pepper

For Grilled Vegetables

4-5 french beans blanched

1/2 cup broccoli florets blanched

2-3 babycorn cut length wise

1/2 cup coloured bell peppers cut in chunks

1/2 cup pumpkin cut in chunks

2-3tsp olive oil

5-6 olives chopped

For dressing

1tbsp honey

2tsp balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Method: To make couscous - Add salt and olive oil in boling water.. Then add couscous and keep it covered for few minutes till it absorbs all the water and swells up.. Heat olive oil in a pan.. Saute spring onions for few minutes.. Meanwhile fluff up the couscous with the help of a fork to separate it.. Add this in the pan and mix well.. Switch off the flame and add in tomatoes, spring greens, salt and pepper.. We donot want to cook the tomatoes and spring greens.. Mix lightly.. Keep aside..

Mix ingredients of dressing and keep aside..

For grilled vegetables - Heat oil in a griller and saute the vegetables one by one except olive.. Remove in a bowl, add olives and pour the dressing over the veggies.. Mix well and keep aside for few minutes..

Serve warm couscous salad with sauted vegetables on the side..

Note - Can even add lemon juice instead of balsamic vinegar in the dressing..

Use vegetables available to you and of your choice..
You can even grill the vegetables and add the couscous in it and mix.. Instead of serving it separately..