For this weekend’s upcoming hike this was my newest salad recipe for us to enjoy for our post-hike lunch.
I found white balsamic vinegar at Trader Joe’s a month or so ago and had been trying to figure out recipes to use it in – it has a sweetness that other vinegars do not. Recently I have been trying out a lower sodium bacon (40% less per slice) and overall it is quite good. Check your grocery store and look carefully, they may have at least one type to try out (though I also love Trader Joe’s uncured bacon, it is fantastic).
Eden Organics canned garbanzo beans are not cheap but I have found are some of the best you will buy. They are extremely low sodium (30 mg per serving) and are not packed in a typical bean juice slurry. When you pour them into the colander to rinse they are vibrant and fresh and most of all you don’t spend time picking out unsightly skins – OK, maybe not everyone cares but I hate that and cheaper brands seem to be full of them! Beyond that, Eden is also the only company using lined BPA free cans if you care about that.
Curried Couscous Salad
Ingredients:
4 slices bacon
1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup baby carrots, chopped
3/4 cup bell pepper, chopped (frozen is fine)
15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups water
Dressing –
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
2 tsp mild curry powder
Directions:
In a small saucepan bring the water to a boil and turn off. Add in the couscous, stir and cover tightly for 10 minutes.
In a large skillet cook the bacon till crispy over medium heat, drain on paper towels, blotting off extra grease. Drain off most of the bacon grease, leaving about 1 Tablespoon behind. Turn the heta up to medium high and add in the vegetables, stirring often, till they are turning golden brown.
Toss the cooked vegetables with the drained garbanzo beans in a large bowl, then add the couscous and the bacon, crumbled up, tossing to combine.
Whisk the dressing together and toss with the salad.
Cover tightly and let chill for a couple of hours to meld the flavors.
~Sarah