Summer Peach + Cous Cous Green Salad

I ended June thinking about what high it was.  So many good memories.  So many good vibes.  And one really epic accomplishment (hello marathon #3).  All of that to say that June ended on a high note, and these first days of July have only added to the Summer high.  Yesterday we had probably the best get together with family at our house - the best we’ve ever hosted for sure.  The headlines - we busted out the slip-n-slide, seeing the little kids have so much fun was the cutest thing ever, and just having a genuine fun, relaxing time with family was great.  It’s always fun when we get together as a family, and depending on toddler moods + who is // isn’t into sharing that day, it’s usually pretty chill.  Yesterday just felt different, and maybe that was just because it was the first time having everyone over at our house.  But I’ve always wanted a true family home where we can host our favorite people and build good memories in our space.  It felt like that’s exactly what we did yesterday with our 2023 “Family Fun Day.”  And I’ll say it again because I can’t stop thinking it, but it was so sweet to see the little kids have such a fun time.  Bubble + bounce houses + water toys + just the cutest level of excitement.  It was the sweetest thing to witness, and capped off with our little 3 year old nephew’s parting words “maybe I can come back when I’m older.”  Just genuine cuteness, and a what heart-melter this kid is!

It was a day that had it all.  Fun with the family and a little bit of alone time with Jordan to cap off the whole evening.  A day of family fun followed by a scary movie + slice of cake for just us two.  It was a day that truly had everything, and that was our joke on the dog walk this morning.  And gif there’s one thing I’ve learned in my adult life it’s lean into having an assortment of disposable plates + utensils on hand for these get togethers - it makes clean up easy and enjoying the rest of the evening with Jordan actually plausible

It was a Summer day we’d been looking forward to, so I planned to make my favorite Summer salad to share with the group - a Summer Peach + Cous Cous Green Salad.  It’s so good, and filled with loads of fresh fruits + crunchy veggies, and it’s the perfect salad to make for a group because it’s loaded.  Filled to the brim with a ton of goodies and easily feeds a crowd.  Topped off with my favorite homemade creamy honey mustard dressing.  It’s perfection + it’s a show-stopper.  The peaches, the feta, the avocado - it makes it look so appetizing + everyone will want to dig in.

 
 


The crunchy stuff + the good stuff

The crunchy veggies are what keep the salad feeling light + fresh.  Cucumber + red onion + mix of kale, cabbage, and shredded sprouts for the greens.  These are the fresh bits and they pair so perfectly with ripe Summer peaches. 

But you’ve got to have the good stuff - those little bits of indulgence that make it a fun salad.  A whole block of feta - crumbled up and sprinkled over the whole thing, chunks of avocado, and chickpeas.  Those are my fun extras - the little morsel that when in a forkful of the salad just taste so good.  My little trick for the chickpeas - after they’re drained and rinsed, I toss them with just a touch of EVOO and a sprinkle of seasoning salt (just like Lawry’s or something), and it makes them feel like a special moment in the salad and not just a plain old bean.

 
 

I think I keep making this salad because of cous cous. 

Then there’s the cous cous.  I love a pearled cous cous, and this one that’s seasoned with a little lemon juice, herbs, and salt + pepper is perfect.  In a salad loaded with fresh veggies + fruits, it’s the hearty piece that pairs well with everything else you got going on in there. 

Honey mustard dressing to tie it all together

The dressing is the cherry on top, and this honey mustard dressing is a big go to for me.  It follows my signature dressing hack - no olive oil.  The sneaky way to keep it on the lighter side but still super flavorful using just some simple household ingredients.  It’s a little sweet, super mustard-y, and just really good.  And really simple - it’s as easy as throwing all the ingredients in a mason jar and shaking it on up.

For the dressing

  • 1/3 c. Dijon

  • 1/3 c. lowfat mayo

  • 1/4 c. honey (agave + maple syrup are great substitutes)

  • juice from 1 lemon

  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  • Salt + pepper

For the salad

  • 1 package pearled cous cous, prepared to package instructions (I love the Lemon + Herb Cous Cous from Whole Foosd, and if using plain cous cous season with lemon juice, parsley, salt + pepper after it’s cooked)

  • Crunchy salad mix (something that’s a combination of kale, brussels, and cabbage is my go to, and you can mix them together yourself)

  • 1 cucumber, halved + cut into chunks

  • 2 peaches, cut off the pit + cut into chunks

  • 2 avocados, cut into chunks

  • half of a red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 block of feta, crumbled

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained + rinsed

  • EVOO + seasoning salt

Start by making the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake aggressively until fully blended. You can also use a food processor. Seal the dressing and set in the fridge until ready to assemble.

To prep the salads,

in one bowl, toss the lettuce with about 1/4 c of the dressing and a pinch of salt + pepper.

in a separate bowl, toss the chickpeas with a drizzle of EVOO + about a tsp of seasoning salt.

Lay the salad mix in a serving bowl + nestle chickpeas in a space of the bowl. Lay the avocado, cheese, peaches, cucumbers, red onion + cous cous in the bowl, giving each ingredient its own designated spot in the bowl. Sprinkle some everything seasoning spice over the top + drizzle a bit more dressing over the top. It’ll be big + stuffed to the gillls + very loaded, and it’ll be great.

Lesley ZehnerComment