1、Couscous Salad (Sue Freund)

2、Smoked mackerel, orange & couscous salad

Sliced oranges make a refreshing addition to this substantial salad - great for the lunchbox

Ingredients

• 200g couscous - use wholemeal if you can get it
• 3 oranges, 2 peeled and thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 100g bag watercress, roughly chopped
• 240g pack peppered mackerel fillets, flaked into large chunks

Method

1. Pour 250ml boiling water over couscous, cover and leave 10 mins, then fluff up with a fork. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Mix orange juice, vinegar, sugar and oil with some seasoning. Mix through the couscous with remaining ingredients.

3、Spicy couscous salad

This can be made as a main-dish salad (great for lunchboxes) or as a side dish for roast lamb

Ingredients

• 100g couscous
• 220g can chickpea, rinsed and drained
• 100ml hot chicken stock
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
• 25g flaked toasted almonds
• handful mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp natural Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp harissa

Method

1. Tip the couscous and chickpeas into a bowl and pour over the stock. Cover and leave for 5-10 mins until the couscous has absorbed the stock. Allow to cool a little. Toss through the lemon zest and juice, pepper, almonds and mint. Spoon into a container, then top with the yogurt and a drizzle of harissa.

4、10-minute couscous salad

This makes a great lunchbox filler for a day out and is equally good at home from the fridge

Ingredients

• 100g couscous
• 200ml hot low salt vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 red pepper
• ½ cucumber
• 50g feta cheese, cubed
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nut

Method

1. Tip couscous into a large bowl, pour over stock. Cover, then leave for 10 mins, until fluffy and all the stock has been absorbed. Meanwhile, slice the onions and pepper and dice the cucumber. Add these to the couscous, fork through pesto, crumble in feta, then sprinkle over pine nuts to serve.