I don’t drink. I gave up smoking more than 2 years ago. I don’t eat pork, bacon or fried foods. The only dressing I’m using for my salads are few drops of olive oil or lemon juice. I eat my fair share of daily veggies and fruits.
About two hours ago I received a phone call. It was my doctor. She wanted to let me know my cholesterol is a little higher. I froze. I thought I was eating right. For few minutes I was asking myself where did I go wrong?. The only answer I could come up with is butter, dairy and sweets. I don’t think I ever told you how much I love cheese.
I was about to hit publish and share with you a recipe for a delicious grape tomatoes quiche. You know, loaded with heavy cream and cheese. Instead I decided to write a new post and share a salad I made for a party. It feeds up to 15 people, depending on the serving size.
Couscous Salad
This time I used a colorful couscous I found at my local Wegmans. You can use the regular type if you don’t find. You can also use pre-cooked bulgur (or bulgur #1)
Place 1 cup of couscous in a bowl. In a sauce pan bring to boil 2 cups or stock or water. Pour over the couscous and let it absorb the liquid (about 5-10 minutes)
While the couscous is cooking, gather some fresh veggies. I used 3 tomatoes, 2 small cucumbers, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 onion and lots of mint and parsley.
Take a deep breath and start dicing them as small as you can.
When you’re done dicing, fluff the couscous with a fork and mix it with the veggies. Season to taste.
Depending on your preferences you can half and seed some belle peppers and fill them with the salad.
or just serve the salad in bowls
Just before serving sprinkle some lemon juice over it and enjoy!
Thank you all for vising and taking the time to leave a comment.Much appreciated.
Sending you lots of love,
Roxana
Linking this recipe to
“Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.”
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
WOW! This is very pretty and yummy! I must see this often too!
This is very nice and healthy salad:)
Hey new look!! at first i was not sure if i reached your space
I too love butter and cheese a lot but these days have reduced to a great extend.. mainly worried for hubby's cholesterol!
Couscous has become of my recent favorite, I find the taste very comforting. This is a great salad you made!
I'm making this tomorrow as I'm trying to loose weight and eating less fats
Thank you for sharing Roxana! if you keep up with salads like this one, your cholesterol will drop very fast 
XoXo
Mmm! So tasty in those peppers. Sorry to hear your doctor had semi-crappy news. I'm sure you'll sort it out now that you know
Buzzed!
Oh, yum! This looks delicious…and it's so beautiful served in those red bell peppers…mmmmm. My cholesterol was slightly over where it should be when I was eating practically no fat, and exercising…I gave it up to genetics. Nothing I can do about that
Hope your numbers decrease with a change in diet (but I'll miss your delectable sweets!!!).
Until I started a Vegan diet this past month I had no idea how much I LOVED cheese! I completely understand. After 3 weeks I started not to crave it so much anymore. Cheese was by far the biggest obstacle for me. Sending lots of love right back to you and well wishes for your numbers to decrease <3
Sometimes people are just predisposed to high cholesterol no matter what their diet is. Especially as we get older. I hope you can get it under control with the food you eat, but there are excellent medications out there if you can't.
delicious combination colorful salad
This salad looks fresh, light, and delicious. Love the bell pepper serving cups too! Sorry to hear your news and hope it changes for the better soon.
This looks really tasty. We're trying to make a conscious effort to try and eat healthier and are always looking for recipes. Thanks
I feel your cholesterol pain. Hubby had a heart attack this fall and we've been eating way healthier than we had been. (And that's not to say we'd been eating terribly unhealthy.) This couscous looks really good- I love to keep dishes like this in the refrigerator for cool lunches in the summer. I think that beautifully colored couscous deserves a trip to Wegman's, my favorite place to shop.
I've never seen colorful couscous. I'll have to keep my eye out for it now. This looks yummy especially the ones in the capsicums.
i am in love with couscous. i had it for the first time in college at a dorm! since it is made of wheat, i decided to give it up a year ago, but have replaced it with quinoa. but the taste of couscous is irreplaceable. love this recipe!!!
I am sure you will have your cholesterol under control in no time at all, especially eating wonderful salads like this couscous salad and the veggie variations are limitless.
Mandy
Have a happy weekend.
I share your love of cheese, and I don't even want to know what my cholesterol is right now! That sounds like a perfect salad for the weather we're having.. I love that colorful couscous.. it's so pretty! Wish I could find that there
Thanks for sharing this, Roxana!
We eat lots of couscous during the colder months and a few years ago started making a couscous salad with veggies and red beans, plus a vinaigrette dressing. Your version is much easier and healthier with just a shot of lemon juice before serving. I love bringing this kind of salad to potlucks because there are still so many people who don't know what couscous is.
Ce salata grozava! O sa salvez reteta pentru mai incolo, o sa o incerc si eu, insa mai astept putin pana trece nebunia cu bacteriile pe-aici.
This is a beautiful salad which I'm sure your body will LOVE! the flavors sound delicious
This is my kind of salad and I could make a meal out of it;-) I fully appreciate your decision to post a healthy choice as this the perfect everyday recipe that we all can enjoy;-)
What a lovely salad and such beautiful fresh color
I am a cheese fiend as well, never have trouble with my cholesterol though. I eat it in moderation really I guess, but butter, not so much…lol
Hope you have a wonderful weekend
I love couscous. Especially with a load of chopped coriander leaf though it and a drop of lemon juice, and chili olive oil. My husband hates the stuff.
Love your colored couscous. I've got some giant or pearl couscous here. I adore it. It's like a bowl full of pearls. Have you seen it ? It's hard to find here. I'll need to blog it some time. It's really pretty
Yum, I don't always eat couscous but I like the salad you made with it. It looks fresh and delicious and the colors are gorgeous!
Roxana, congrats on top 9! What a beautiful healthy dish! I like how colorful this salad is. I mean it's really colorful! Thank you for sharing this fabulous couscous salad!
This looks so delicious Roxana..I am loving the color! Congrats on top 9!!!!:)
Butter and cheese…..if only it didn't taste so very good.
Such a colorful salad and I love the red bell pepper serving bowls. Lovely recipe.
hi Roxana
sorry to hear about your cholesterol, I'm sure now that you know it will be down in no time at all!
What a perfect salad and I love the presentation! I really need to get more cous cous on the menu at school , this would be wonderful for our salad bar! Have to copy now for next year!
Congrats on the top 9 today !!
Dennis
Now try your healthy salad with Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). This is the most nutritious grain and is gluten-free. Cooks up easy like couscous (which is tiny balls of pasta).
Quinoa comes in regular or red and there is organic brand which is toasted brown rice version. Also very healthy and gluten-free.
Cook with low-sodium chicken or veg broth for added flavor.
So delicious and healthy, too.
The Souper
I posted a couscous salad too! Yours looks gorgeous!
Congrats on Top 9 and good luck with your cholesterol.
LL
ah…. the old cholesterol, yep, it does sometimes pose a problem! My dad has struggled with it for his whole life, and while he has always looked trim and fit he is now 5 years post quadruple by-pass surgery. So I know it's in my genes and try to eat with this in mind.
Your salad is ideal! Love everything about it! This just might be the perfect Father's Day side!!
Congrats on a well deserved Top 9!
Congrats… Very beautiful and healthy salad:)
I love the colored couscous! What a delicious and healthy salad and a beautiful presentation in the red bell peppers! Congrats on the Top 9, Roxana. I adore cheese and my cholesterol has been up a bit, too
I loved seeing this on top 9
It is so nice to see healthy foods there, especially one as delicious and inviting as this. I am thinking of you and your health…and also looking forward to the healthier recipes I am sure are on the way 
A big high cholesterol is not a big deal. You can handle it by eating whole grains (think whole wheat bread only, steel-cut or old-fashioned cooked oats, brown rice, etc) and adding in good Omega 3 fatty acids from fish (salmon, esp. wild caught–expensive but worth it), omega-3 fish oil capsules, and eliminating hydrogenated oils.
Add walnuts and almonds (especially walnuts!) to your meals. Get a coffee grinder and buy flax seed and grind it and add that to everything. You won't notice it in your baking (my family never does) and also to your oatmeal, sauces, etc. The ground flax is excellent for your health.
A little butter won't hurt (but cut way down), same with some cheese (never processed slices but instead some parmigiano reggiano, which is highly flavorful for a small dairy hit). Use mostly olive oil instead of other oils (cold-pressed extra virgin). Drink a little glass of red wine (resveratrol is good for you) and if you want sweets, try a bit of dark (70% or higher) dark chocolate.
Finally, exercise. Walk. Walk 10,000 steps a day, or more. If you can, add some running.
I took my cholesterol down to 169 (from over 219) and also my triglycerides were so low they couldn't do a "ratio" on me. I have gotten lax about exercise and eating due to stress and an injury that stopped me from walking/running, but that's how I did it. Your doctor will do the happy dance and trust me, it doesn't take long. A couple months should do it.
While you're at it–read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and Omnivore's Dilemma. Then try these cookies: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10870
With these cookies, skip the canola oil. You don't need the oil to make "walnut butter" if you keep scraping down the processor. It will turn to "walnut butter" on its own. And use old-fashioned oats, add a half cup of ground flax (you won't even notice it)…then I add dried cranberries and dried blueberries on top of it. The cookies are to die for and nobody will ever know they're healthy.
I hope that helps. Don't worry, you can do this. You have the right attitude and that's half the battle!
Good luck!
Roxana, I love cheese, too, but have to watch myself. And I rarely serve red meat at home. If I'm not careful, I might get the same call from my doctor. Oh, well, at least cholesterol is something we have some control over, right? At least there's this beautiful, colorful couscous salad to be enjoyed until you can go back to eating some dairy.
Congrats on your Top 9, too.
Now you have me wondering how my cholesterol is. Sorry yours was high. I want to see your quiche recipe one day…sounds fantastic. Your photos for this recipe are fantastic. We love cous cous and I will make it the way you did;)
This is just a gorgeous salad! I'll be on the lookout for some beautiful couscous like yours =)
This salad looks and sounds delicious! Sorry to hear about your cholesterol. Eating salads like this should help bring the numbers down for sure. Congrats on Top 9 today also! Great presentation in the bell pepper bowls.
Wonderful how you used the peppers as bowls for this awesome cous cous salad. Cookin' Canuck and I would love if you linked up this recipe & any 2 other side dishes in this weeks Get Grillin' event posted on both of our blogs.
You probably need a little fish oil or omega 3 in your life…..you are doing everything right, so don't worry so much. Cholesterol can be a genetic thing and just keep eating right and add an omega3 tablet to your daily diet and your tryglycerides should go down a bit, it will help. This salad is beautiful!
This looks awesome. Saw it on tastespotting and noticed the similarity to my stuffed red peppers. And, great step by step pictures. Awesome post. Check out my stuffed peppers for a different look.
be green and have a print button!
@Wednesday Blue- I already have a print button
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