Food: summer salad[couscous+poached chicken]

Couscous is not only a wonderful grain, but it is also super healthy. The couscous that I have used here is whole grain - of course! This salad is very simple yet amazingly fresh. Once you have the couscous and the chicken, you can pick your own vegetables and cheese to mix with the salad. The chicken has been poached to give it an even more fresh taste. However, if you have left over chicken in the fridge, feel free to incorporate that in. 

For Poached Chicken, 

1 chicken breast :: 3 cloves of garlic :: 1 inch ginger; 2 green chilis slit :: 1/3 cup soy sauce

juice of 1 medium lime :: salt :: water

For Couscous, 

1 cup couscous :: 1 cup water or broth to make couscous :: salt+pepper

For Salad,  

1/2 red onion chopped :: 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes :: 1 cucumber chopped

1/2 capsicum chopped :: few leaves of butter lettuce chopped :: few spinach leaves chopped

1/2 cup olive oil :: juice of 1 medium lime :: salt+pepper; crumbled feta cheese :: pine nuts

First I poached the chicken. Add all the ingredients along with the chicken breast. Make sure the water is cold and it comes up to the level of the chicken. Set it on the stove at medium temperature. When the water boils up reduce the heat to make it simmer. Turn the chicken once. Poach it till the water dries down half way, most likely 15 minutes or less. Drain the chicken from all the water and let it cool. Then chop it up to bite size pieces. 

For the couscous, place the dry couscous in a bowl. Heat up the water or the broth. Then pour the liquid over the couscous and keep it covered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables to your liking. Make the dressing by whisking the lime juice with the olive oil and salt+pepper. If you like more tang, then add more lime. Add more chopped green chilis if you want more heat. Mix everything together including the chicken and the couscous. Sprinkle the pine nuts and the feta cheese. Bon appétit!