Israeli Couscous w/ Spinach Pesto & Heirloom Tomatoes
After a long birthday weekend with very little sleep, I’m back to my detoxing, and feeling so good. I have felt a bit run down lately, but after two nights of 12 hour sleep, and 5:45 am yoga, I’m feeling as good as new. Sometimes I forget how important it is to take time for myself, and I get so caught up in friends, hanging out, family, that I forget to take a me night. So, after a few nights of resting, I came up with this gem. I’m obsessed with recipes like this because they feel so light and healthy, and are perfect to enjoy outside on a cool evening. Houston is no longer scorching, and actually rather pleasant to be outside, and I’m doing everything I can to enjoy it while it lasts – and that includes cooking some nice light things like this to enjoy outside :).
After experimenting with a few pesto recipes, I think I came up with the perfect one! There is such a huge difference when you make your own pesto as opposed to buying it pre-made in jar, and I promise you it’s worth the 5 minutes you will spend preparing it – yes 5 minutes, that’s how easy and quick it is. I love pairing this side dish with grilled chicken and shrimp – a perfect outdoor evening dinner!
Ingredients
- 6 cups spinach
- 3-4 basil leaves
- 2 cups Israeli couscous
- 3/4 cup good quality olive oil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 3 small cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1 1/2 pints yellow or red cherry tomatoes
- 4 yellow, orange, and red heirloom tomatoes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water (should taste like seawater) to a boil and couscous. Cook until al dente - about 10 minutes. (It should still have a bit of a bite to it). Drain the couscous and transfer onto a baking sheet, toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil to keep it from clumping, and refrigerate for about half an hour until it has come to room temperature.
- In another small saute pan toast your pine nuts until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the spinach, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, and olive oil, just 1/2 cup to start, you can always add more - into a food processor and pulse until it is combined. Then add the fresh basil leaves and pulse again. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Finally toss the pesto in with the couscous and throw in the tomatoes. Season with red pepper flakes and additional salt and pepper if needed. This salad can be served at room temperature or cold.
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