Summer Squash and Zucchini with Couscous Salad

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I recently won an Instagram contest and ended up winning from fresh produce from Garden Farms, so I decided to make some sort of salad using the summer squash and zucchini I won. You can switch out the grain here with pearl couscous, quinoa, barley, or whole wheat rice. I’m partial to couscous because I love the texture, but you can do whatever you want.

This salad can be served hot or cold and is light yet filling which I love. I add the pine nuts and hemp seeds for added Omega-3 fats, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins benefits. Feel free to add sautéed spinach to this or serve the salad on a bed of greens for added goodness.

The other nice thing about this you can make the couscous a day or two in advance and just add it in when it’s time to mix it all together.

This salad is light yet filling and filled with all the nutrients and vitamins you could want in a salad. Feel free to omit the oil or use less of it and you can leave the parmesan out if you are worried about the oil content. I have mixed feelings on olive oil based off what I have read and seen when seeing Dr. Greger and Dr. Esselstyn live years ago, but I do like cooking with it in moderation.

What kinds of summer salads do you like making? Let me know in the comments below so I can try them out!

Thanks for reading,

Jessica

Summer Squash and Zucchini with Couscous Salad

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Yield: 2-4

Author: Jessica Morton

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 medium summer squash, chopped (about two cups)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped (about two cups)
• 1 TBSP olive oil or vegan butter**
• 1 cup cooked couscous (see ingredients below)
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 TBSP hemp seeds
• ¼ cup grated vegan parmesan (I like Violife)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ TSP garlic powder
• 1 TSP Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute
• ¼ TSP TJ’s Umami seasoning
• 1 TSP Herbes de Provence
• Garnish with more dill, parsley, pine nuts, and parmesan

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 ½ TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 1 TSP lemon zest
• 2 TSP fresh dill, finely minced
• 1 TSP fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 TBSP garlic, minced
• 1 TSP nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste

Couscous Ingredients

• ½ cup dry couscous (should make about a cup of cooked couscous. You can always use ¾ cup dry couscous to have a little extra)
• ½ cup water
• 1 TBSP vegan butter or olive oil
• Drizzle of olive oil after couscous has been cooked
• ½ TSP salt
• ½ TSP garlic powder
• 1 TBSP herbes de Provence
• ½ TSP TJ’s Onion Salt
• ½ TSP TJ’s Umami seasoning

Instructions

Main Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the squash and in zucchini in the olive oil until almost tender, about 5-6 minutes Stir occasionally to get all sides cooked. Season with salt and pepper and remaining seasonings listed under Main Ingredients.
2. While these are cooking, toast up the pine nuts in a small pan on medium heat, stirring occasionally so one side doesn’t get burned. Set aside when done.
3. Add couscous to the skillet and cook for another minute or so until everything is warm.
4. Add the vegan parmesan cheese to the skillet and stir well, letting the cheese melt some.
5. Add the dressing after whisking once more, hemp seeds, and pine nuts. Toss to combine, taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
6. Serve warm or cool in the fridge for half an hour if you want to serve cold.
7. Garnish with extra pine nuts, dill, parsley, and parmesan.

Dressing Instructions

1. Whisk together all the ingredients together and season to taste.
2. Set aside and give a quick whisk before adding to the salad.

Couscous Instructions

1. In a large saucepan or pot, combine ½ cup water, (¾ cup water if doing ¾ cup couscous) 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegan butter, and the ½ TSP salt.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from the heat.
4. Pour the ½ cup (¾ cup if needed) dry couscous into the pan.
5. Stir well.
6. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
7. Fluff well with a fork and add the remaining seasonings and a drizzle of olive oil and stir well.
8. Set aside until ready to add to veggies.

Notes:

**You can sub out water for the oil when cooking the squash, leave out of the couscous, and use extra lemon juice for the dressing if you want to avoid the oil.

Serve warm or cool in the fridge for half an hour if you want to serve cold.