Here is a healthy side dish which we made to go with some grilled chicken this past weekend. It does not take more than 10 minutes to make. The couscous takes 5 minutes to cook, once you add it to the chicken broth. You can go all vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead. Using broth instead of water helps flavor the couscous.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 and 1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup chopped scallions
salt

In a sauce pan bring the chicken broth to a boil, add 1 teaspoon olive oil and the couscous. Stir and take it off the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, zest, salt and the olive oil to make the dressing. In a bowl, mix the couscous, almonds, cranberries, scallions and the dressing.

Note:

• Zest the lemon before juicing it.

Last summer my dear friend Veronica spent a day with us. We had fun shopping and cooking. Veron taught me to make mutton xacuti, which is a goan speciality, and it was YUMMY! To go along with the spicy xacuti, she decided to make a cucumber and onion salad. The recipe for this salad originated from Veron’s aunt in Goa, India. This is a very refreshing crunchy salad with sweet, sour and spicy notes. It goes well with spicy food and would also be great as a burger topper too.

So this one is for you Veron! Thank your aunt for it! Hope to spend some more time in the kitchen with you soon.

Ingredients:
1/2 English cucumber
1 medium red onion
1 green chilli (optional, if you do not like the heat)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt

Cut the cucumber lengthwise and then slice each half into thin slices. Slice the red onion as fine as you can. Add the cucumber and onion to a bowl.

Dice the chilli very fine and add it to a small bowl. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Stir well to make the dressing. I let the dressing sit for a little while to let the flavors combine.

When you are ready to serve toss the dressing with the cucumbers and onions and sprinkle the cilantro on top.

Notes: If you cannot find English seedless cucumber, you can use one regular cucumber, but remember to seed it first.

A quick lunch that I like to make when I have any leftover roasted or grilled chicken. A traditional chicken salad uses a lot of mayo, I limit the amount of mayo used in the salad and substitute it with some low fat yogurt.

Ingredients : Serves 4
1 cup cooked chicken cubed
2 scallions(green onions) finely chopped
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 red bell pepper diced
3/4 cups grapes cut into halves
1/4 cup roasted shelled pistachios
1/4 tsp hot sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup yogurt (I prefer low fat)
2 Tbsp light Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Line a sieve with some cheese cloth or kitchen paper towel and place it over a bowl making sure that the sieve does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Place the yogurt in the sieve and allow the liquid to drain for about 4 hours in the refrigerator. This makes the yogurt thick and creamy and gives it the consistency of a cream cheese.

In a bowl combine all the ingredients including the yogurt and mix well. The chicken salad is ready! You can serve the chicken salad on a bread with some lettuce and tomatoes or it is also great served inside a pita.