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2.23.2010

Warm Roasted Veg and Bean Salad with Israeli Couscous and Toasted Sesame Seeds



With being sick for the past two weeks, not working out as a consequence, the abundance of Stir It 28 food, and Chicago Restaurant Week, my body is screaming mercy!!! This Monday I managed my first work out without collapsing. I had brought some leftovers from the event Sunday for lunch, but after that workout my body craved salad. Then for dinner I wasn’t that hungry, but Certain Someone wanted something quick, like sausages. I honestly couldn’t stomach the though of eating meat, which I love, but couldn’t handle that day. So I looked in the refrigerator and saw some leftover cooked red beans, sliced red peppers, onions, green bell peppers, fresh asparagus, parsley, and zucchini. I had also purchased some of that large luscious looking Israeli Couscous earlier. Marie, Proud Italian Cook, had gifted me some lemon infused olive oil, which I love. So an idea for a salad started to form while Certain Someone’s sausages were cooking away. Maybe it was subliminal with the many Meatless Monday tweets I see, or all the talk about Lenten sacrifices. But I listen to my body and felt quite satisfied with the wonderful salad I put together. I even brought some for lunch the following day.

If you don’t know, John Hopkins School of Public Health has out together a wonderful program to promote your personal good health and the health of the planet. By pledging to give up meat and its by products on Mondays, the ‘start’ of the week, we reduce our changes of diseases linked to obesity as well as help the planet.

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Our goal is to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

We provide the information and recipes you need to start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives.

Presidents Wilson, Truman and Roosevelt galvanized the nation with voluntary meatless days during both world wars.

By reviving this American tradition we can help address the challenges we face today. We can improve our health, reduce our carbon footprint and lead the world in the race to mitigate climate change.

I doubt I can get Certain Someone on board with Meatless Mondays, but maybe ease him into this. But , I , for one will start. Being a good cooks, I know that one can eat some exciting creative foods adhering to the vegan rule. Its just one day!
Warm Roasted Veg and Bean Salad with Israeli Couscous and Toasted Sesame Seeds

*please note you make many variations on this salad based on your preferences. So use this guide.

1 cup Israeli Couscous

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 bunch Asparagus Spears chopped

1 half red pepper sliced

1 half green bell pepper sliced

1 zucchini sliced

1 /2 white onion sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried Italian Seasoning

1 cup cooked red kidney beans (I made mine from scratch but you can use canned, drained and rinsed)

1 bunch parsley chopped

½ cup lemon infused olive oil

½ cup Balsamic Vinegar

3 tbsp sesame seeds

In a small pot with lid add ¼ cup boiling water and vegetable bouillon. Dissolve cube. Add Couscous and cover with lid for several minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with a rim with parchment paper. Add the vegetables and toss with the olive oil on the sheet. Season with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Bake at 450 F for 10-15 min until they start to brown and are tender. Remove and set aside.

In a large bowl, add chopped parsley, Couscous, red kidney beans, vegetables, and the remaining ½ cups each of lemon infused olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. Toss all ingredients and set aside.

In a dry skillet lightly toast the sesame seeds, and add some to salad ad on top as garnish.
 Serve at room temperature.

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11 comments:

Nina Timm said...

I will be quite happy with a plate of this even on Tuesdays, Wednesdays......

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

That salad sounds and looks really good! I really have to try Israeli couscous...

Cheers,

Rosa

Homemade Heaven said...

I have gone the lent route - and given up meat. I don't usually do lent, as a Baptist, but I have decided to do this as a stand in solidarity with my mother-in-law (a devout Catholic) who is fighting cancer.
Thank you for this lovely recipe, it will make my meatless month very enjoyable.

Laurie said...

I love Israeli couscous and the dish and combos you presented with it here look divine!

Memória said...

You're doing such a good job on eating healthy! I'm jealous of your determination :). This dish looks fully of yummy veggies!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

You ladies worked so hard for your successful event Stir it 28 that I think you deserve a break...a long break. Meatless Mondays sound good to me and this offering is delicious.

The Duo Dishes said...

Listening to your body is the most important thing! It wanted veggies, and you delivered. Delicious salad. Feels great for spring...

Lori Lynn said...

I like the ratio of your veggies to couscous. Nice balance!
LL

Claudia said...

Now I have to go find Israei couscous. I was fine a minute ago. I love everything about it - texture, taste, color. I go meatless a few days a week as a matter of course. This is perfect!

The Caked Crusader said...

Hope you're feeling better Courtney - the blogosphere needs you!

Joey said...

Hi Coco-

I just wanted to reach out to you and thank you for joining the Meatless Monday movement and for your terrific post about our campaign. It really is bloggers like you who post about Meatless Monday as a strategy for reducing saturated fat and conserving our environmental resources, that helps the movement to grow exponentially.

I'm really impressed with your recipe posts and I think Coco Cook's focus on taking joy in healthful food falls right in line with our mission. Many bloggers think it’s fun to do weekly Meatless Monday posts, usually profiling a meatless recipe or meal, every Monday. Weekly posts really help to spread the word.

I'd love to be in more direct communication with you so we can better coordinate outreach efforts. If you're interested in doing weekly posts please email me at jlee@mondaycampaigns.org.

Thanks so much and keep up the great posts!

-Joey Lee
Executive Assistant
Meatless Monday