I used to skip the pasta. The empty calories just weren’t worth it to me. Most of the time the pasta was covered in a heavy sauce, or loaded with cheese. The pasta salads were just as bad – saturated in mayonnaise based dressings that drowned out any resemblance of what the pasta originally looked like.
Of course, that was mostly ignorance on my part. Once I started learning to cook with light and healthy ingredients, I realized there were plenty of healthy, flavorful pastas on the market. Even better, there was an equally amazing number of refreshingly light pasta recipes just waiting for me to give them a try.
These days I make up my own pasta salad recipes, and whole wheat couscous is one of my favorite ingredients. I can mix this tiny fun pasta with almost any vegetable and come up with a simple salad that works perfectly as a side dish – hot or cold!
Serves 6
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Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat couscous, cooked according to package directions
- ½ cup pineapple jam, low sugar (or any citrus jam or jelly works fine)
- ½ can mild green chiles
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 tablespoons onion, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder, or to taste
- 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- 1. Combine pineapple jam, chiles, garlic, lemon and zest, 2tablespoons onion and chipotle in a medium bowl. Remove half the mixture to a blender and puree into a sauce.
- 2. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl with couscous and pineapple mixture. Stir in puree and combine well.
Healthy Cooking Tip . . .
Whole grain pastas provide a variety of health benefits over standard pastas, especially added fiber – a big boost to dieters. There are a variety of whole grain pastas on the market. Look for 100% whole grains or 100% whole wheat pastas if possible. Whole grain blends aren’t typically 100% whole grain, but a blend of a variety of partially refined grains. Most of the products I’ve reviewed clearly state “whole grain blend” or “whole grain.” If you’re unsure, just look at the ingredient information.
Happy cooking and if you get a chance, hop on over to DigiGlyph Transmedia Publishing to check out my favorite salad, meat and egg recipes available on the Nook or the Kindle.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 188, Weight Watchers PointsPlus 5
Total Fat: 1.62g
Cholesterol: —
Sodium: 119mg
Total Carbs: 41.82g
Dietary Fiber: 6.12g
Sugars: 11.73g
Protein: 6.40g
Please see disclaimer for further details. Nutrition information is compiled with MacGourmet. If you find discrepancies, please let me know. It’s important to me that I provide you with accurate information.
I love chipotle! I just posted a chipotle salmon tacos recipe. I love the smokey flavor it brings to dishes. It is so delicious!
You and me both. I’m a big chipotle fan! I’ll check out your salmon tacos. My husband loves seafood tacos.
hey i loved this flavorful couscous…will be making it very soon.
I love all the flavors you used to dress up this couscous salad! Buzzed!
Thank you Meghan. Have a terrific weekend!
Wow! pineapple jam! I’m intrigued. I’ve never seen whole wheat couscous here, but maybe I just haven’t noticed.
Isn’t that interesting? I found the pineapple jam at a local farmers market, but I’m sure you could use any sweet fruit jam. I get the couscous from Trader Joes. Have a good weekend!
this looks wonderful colourful meal
This is so flavorful Kristi and very filling. Can’t imagine that there would be many leftovers.
There’s just the two of us at home these days, so I always have leftovers for work. It’s a good deal! Have a great weekend!
Delicious, love the beans
I’ve not see whole wheat couscous before. I’m intrigued by the fact that there’s pineapple in your salad as well. It sounds wonderful with the chipotle and other ingredients. During the summer, most of my pasta dishes are made with fresh tomatoes and other ingredients from the garden; no heavy sauces needed, just fresh taste.
I would love to say I have garden items to add to my salad, but alas, Seattle isn’t producing a lot for me this year. Good thing for farmers markets! Have a good weekend!
I’ve never heard of whole wheat cous-cous! I love it! I am a pasta fan – but not a fan of heavy sauces, so I try to have either red or green sauces or SERIOUSLY lighten it up!
Sounds like you and I are on the same page when it comes to how we like our pasta. I find whole wheat couscous at Trader Joes, but I think Fred Meyer carries it too. Have a good weekend!
We’ve really started to pay attention to the types of carbs we take in. Whole wheat pasta has been a favorite of late, as has Quinoa. I’ll have to try and find some of this Whole Wheat Couscous!
I love that you mentioned quinoa. I’m a recent convert to quinoa pasta. It’s not that much more expensive and I love the texture and flavor! Have a wonderful weekend!
Great recipe…Couscous is such a great choice for summer salads and of course I all over the chipotle 🙂
And I love that couscous works wonders hot or cold with almost any combination of ingredients you can put it with. Have a good weekend!
My husband had a bad couscous experience. Someone who can’t so much as make toast served him up a bowl of lukewarm watery slop which he manfully ate and has been anti-couscous ever since. I on the other hand, escaped the watery flavourless couscous so I absolutely love it. I will make him your recipe, Kristi, because I think it will change his mind and I’m happy to find an excuse to put it on the menu at my house! Have a great weekend.
My husband had the same experience but with hummus, and it was a bad hummus recipe, so I can’t blame him. Too bad. I love the stuff and now he won’t touch it. Have a good weekend!
hmmm…I never had whole wheat couscous before…worth a shot 🙂 thanks!
I get it at Trader Joes, and I believe Fred Meyers carries it too if you have one in your part of town. Thanks for visiting!
I am not a mayonnaise fan either, but I do enjoy pasta dishes from time to time. Love your couscous salad…simple, healthy, but very delicious and loaded with flavours.
My favorite chipotle. I can’t resist anything with chipotle in it! 🙂
Pineapple jam?! Yes, please! I bet that couscous is amazing!
Congrats on Top 9!!
Found the pineapple jam at our local farmers market and couldn’t resist. It was very good! Thank you!
Sounds yummy. I love cous cous.
Congratulations on Top 9!
Thank you Sandra! It was a very nice surprise for sure. 🙂
chipotle is so intense yet adds so much flavor and I like how you use it here… very nice contrast of flavors
also, that is some good looking pork my lady……
I love it when I don’t over cook the pork. 🙂
Yum, I’m loving all the flavor going on in this dish. I tried box couscous from the health food store looked good but was terrible. I need to try this out and redeem my palate for some good tasting couscous.
That’s too bad. You sound like you had the same experience Hester’s husband had. You’ll have to let me know what you think if you try this dish.