Talin’s Ultimate Couscous Salad Recipe

I would like to introduce to you a very healthy, flavorful, Couscous Salad recipe, which is full of essential nutrients, which will get your taste buds active and will want the whole salad bowl to yourself. Yes, it is that good! Couscous is one of my favorite things to add to vegetables, and add so much flavor with it. Excellent choice to serve at dinner parties, or regular dinners, for lunch, for dinner, anytime. Here is The Ultimate Couscous Salad Recipe.

Couscous Salad Recipe
Serves: 4 or more. depending on how much quantity you would like to prepare. play around with the amount of ingredients to your desire.

Ingredients…
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups pearl couscous
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 full cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 large tomato, diced…. preferably tomato on a vine…
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs (any combination of fresh parsley, cilantro, arugula, basil, dill or mint)
• 1/3 cup raisins or more to your tasting
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted or not. you can just add them in.
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

To Prepare follow these instructions…
1. In a large saucepan, bring about 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add couscous and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain with a strainer — preferably thin holed strainer so the couscous will not fall through.

2. While the couscous cooks, in a small bowl, mix the oil, mustard, honey, lemon juice and zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. Add cooked and drained couscous to a large bowl, and then, pour dressing over warm couscous, mix well. Let it cool completely

4. After cooled completely, Add cucumber, tomato, herbs, raisins and walnuts to the couscous and stir. Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper as needed.

5. Enjoy it when its cold – cover then refrigerate, about 1 hour. Better to eat cool…

Bon Apetit!

In The Kitchen With Stefano Faita

Recently, I discovered an incredible, wonderful and not to mention great looking chef on television on CBC. I was flipping through the channels one time and I really enjoy cooking shows, so I stopped on CBC’s channel while I saw this cooking show, and I saw that it was In The Kitchen with Stefano Faita, so I started to watch his cooking show, and I automatically knew it was a show I would like then I began to love it. I cannot wait to watch his show daily and especially, by the way Chef Stefano explains the way to cook food, incredibly easy methods, very tasty, full of flavour foods of which I like. I love to cook myself and I can tell that he is not afraid of adding a lot of flavour and he is always enthusiastic and excited when it comes to food.

This past week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Chef Stefano Faita during his chat that he had set up for his fans to ask him questions, and he gave me tips and tricks on what to do with stir fry when it becomes too liquidy, to always make sure my wok is hot and to make sure the liquid from the meat and vegetables dry out before putting in the soya sauce or whatever seasoning , and I had also asked him how to make pasta from scratch and he explained it to me thoroughly and I got to see his recipes and he answered me so quickly because it was an hour chat with him. He seems to be such a great person all around and I am so glad I got that moment to talk with him. I’d love to meet Chef Stefano Faita someday and enjoy his food that he makes with his magic chef hands. I am really impressed, and there are foods and ingredients that I never knew of until I learned them from Stefano. I enjoy chopping, dicing and the way he handles food. He is a natural.

I have learned so much about cooking from him that, I cannot wait to try his recipes at home to feed my family, friends and when people come over whether it’s for the holidays, occasions or for no reason, just to hang out with great company and great food in the mix, that will keep people coming back for more as Stefano says while he is cooking on Television.

You can catch In The Kitchen with Stefano Faita on CBC at 3:30pm Monday-Friday’s  in Canada or you can go to www.cbc.ca/inthekitchen to obtain more information, Stefano’s recipes, and where you can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter and more. You can also go to a taping of his show and be part of his audience. I wish Stefano Faita the best and May you continue working with those Magic Chef hands that you are so gifted with.

A Chocolate Lover and A Big Nutella Fan

Since I was a little girl, Chocolate used to be my number one thing. Whether it was at home, or visiting family homes, family friends homes, When they used to put out chocolate, I couldn’t help but snag a few bites of chocolate. Its so good! I love so many types of chocolate, but one isn’t really my cup of tea and they say Dark Chocolate is the best and its good for you, but I beg to differ. Everytime I eat Dark Chocolate, I get this really funny aftertaste in my mouth and I don’t enjoy it at all. If its Milk Chocolate like Hersheys, Cadbury, and with Almonds its all good with me. I love the reese Chocolate peanut butter cups too. Its so delicious.

I love Chocolate cake, Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate Syrup, Chocolate Ice Cream, the Mousse, I sometimes make Chocolate cake and I make a little extra so as I can eat the Chocolate Cake batter. I love eating Cake Batter or Raw Cookie dough. It is so good. I know people say that there are raw eggs in it, but it has never effected me. I just eat it and I know its so many calories and stuff, but I just cannot help it. I love it.

Once in my cooking/baking class back in High School, we made a huge batch of Chocolate Chip cookies and I remember when the other people in my group weren’t looking, I used to eat the Chocolate Chip cookie dough with the Chips in it and it was sooooo good. They never caught me which was the fun part. LOL. We made a whole bunch so they didn’t even notice the Raw dough was even touched or eaten. Even the teacher didn’t see.

Now, Nutella is my ultimate fave. I love that stuff and they say that Nutella spreads a whole lot of energy and the hazelnuts and stuff in it are good for you and it is nutritious. Whenever I eat it, I feel so energetic and better throughout my day. Whenever I go shopping for groceries, Nutella is one of the things I get and when it comes home, It barely lasts a week or two. Now I am not one of those who puts a very thin thin layer of Nutella on my Pita Bread, Toast or Bagel, I love to add a lot more and actually taste the Nutella. Its such an awesome invention. I just love the rich, incredible taste to it and the smoothness. I once made a Nutella Frosting Cake and The whole cake was eaten in a matter of 2 days. I made it the day of and gone the next day by my family.

In a few blogs that I will post in the future will be all about CHOCOLATE this, CHOCOLATE that. 🙂

Stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by 🙂