Vegetable couscous salad

75ml water, boiling

½ reduced-salt vegetable stock cube

70g wholemeal couscous

1 tomato

1 spring onion

¼ cucumber

½ pepper

2 dried apricots

1 x 15ml spoon parsley

1 x 15ml spoons low fat dressing

Weighing scales, kettle, measuring jug, large bowl, fork, chopping board, sharp knife, mixing spoon, measuring spoons.

1. Make up the stock by dissolving the stock cube in the boiling water in the jug. 
2. Place the couscous in a large bowl and pour over the stock. Cover and leave for 2-3 minutes. 
3. Fluff with a fork and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
4. Prepare the salad ingredients:

• chop the tomato;
• deseed and dice the pepper;
• dice the cucumber;
• slice the apricots;
• slice the spring onion into rings;
• chop the parsley. 

     5. Add all the vegetables to the couscous and stir.

     6. Stir in the dressing.

• Vary your protein: Try adding chickpeas, chopped cooked chicken or tuna. 
• Reduce food waste: Use sweetcorn, peas, olives or mushrooms. 
• Turn up the flavour: Why not try dried cranberries or raisins? 
• Food skills: Check out our food skills videos to help understand the key skills used in this recipe. 

Be ingredient aware!

Check for any food allergy, intolerance, special dietary requirement or religious/cultural reasons for not handling or eating the ingredients in this recipe. 

You may need to modify the recipe accordingly. For example, if following a vegan or vegetarian diet, use a meat alternative. For those with an allergy to gluten, use a gluten-free pasta. Always check food labels for allergens, and suitability for vegetarians and vegans.

For full guidance and up-to-date information on the 14 allergens, please visit the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website. 
  

Nutritional information

If a vegetarian option is used nutritional information may vary.

This recipe serves three portions based on portion size guidance for 11-18 year olds , if serving to younger children then they may require a smaller portion and if serving to adults, they may require a bit more. 

Why not use the Explore Food calculator, the British Nutrition Foundation's free online nutritional analysis programme, to calculate the nutritional information for other recipes?