Platter Salad
The weather here has been amazing. Hot. Hot. Hot. Bring on the heat! Summer is here! Because the weather is so fantastic, we’ve been spending a lot of time at the beach. But this also makes dinner time a bit of a challenge. I don’t feel much like cooking on hot days, and we all don’t have big appetites because it’s so dang hot. This is when salads are the best!
I love the idea of salads on a platter – it’s a fun way (especially for kids) to make your own salad to your own taste. And it looks fancy. Much fancier than it is! The idea with this salad is to use what you already have at home – real life and real food. I just opened up my fridge and found simple veggies, then cooked up some Israeli couscous to serve over the salad. Delish.
I am going to be making a few different kinds of these platter salads this summer (stay tuned)! This was our first one, which I served along side a BBQ chicken. Now on to the salad! There are 3 parts to it: the veggies, the dressing and the couscous.
Platter Salad
Ingredients
Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
Israeli Couscous:
- 1 3/4 cup water or broth I prefer to use vegetable broth - the end flavour is amazing!
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 1/4 cup Israeli couscous
Platter Salad:
- You can basically use any type of vegetable that you like in your salad.
- 2 chopped carrots
- corn from 2 cobs great way to use leftovers or just use 1 can of corn
- 2 cups spinach
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 cup cucumbers sliced
- 6 small tomatoes cut into quarters
Instructions
Dijon Vinaigrette:
- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
- Don't pour the dressing on the platter! Instead serve it separate so you can add as little or as much as you would like to your own individual salad.
Israeli Couscous:
- Bring the water or broth to a boil.
- Add the butter, and stir until it is melted.
- Add the couscous, bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir a few times.
- Then remove from the heat and let sit for about 10 more minutes.
- Fluff up with a fork before serving.
- Add a scoop of the couscous, either warm or cooled, to your salad! Delish!
Platter Salad:
- Arrange all the salad ingredients on a platter for serving.
Putting the Salad Together:
- Now it's time to put your salad together...this is the fun part! Assemble it any way you like - pick your veggies, add a scoop of couscous, then drizzle on some dressing! Enjoy!
I hope you are all having a fantastic summer! It sounds like there’s a heat wave everywhere!
More Salads you might enjoy:
- Broccoli Mandarin Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Corn & Bean Salad
- Maple Vinaigrette
- Roasted Potato Salad
- Simple Green Salad
- Sprouted Bean Salad
Have a delicious day!
Looks amazing… perfect for summer!