The art of salad bowls & healthy lunching

Part of being HIV positive, or just wanting to live a well balanced life is taking care of your health. Yes, I am sure you've heard this all before but its true. After all whats the point of a going to gym if what follows next is macdonalds and nando's 3 times a week. I mean sure, I am guilty of it too but I try reduce my take away intake to once a week (if that). Thankfully, my boyfriend and I are huge foodies and prefer sushi to macdonalds, (although nothing beats those cripsy chicken nuggets with fries with barbeque sauce to cure a nagging hangover). Nonetheless, as I work from home, Sundays are usually spent making an array of salads (in summer) and soups (in winter) that I can just warm up and eat during the week. This makes for very easy lunching and helps me steer clear of the ever so tempting Mr Delivery menu. This bowl was one of my favorites and defiantly a must try. Having never made chakalaka before a friend asked me to cater for her birthday which was held at our house and there was so much of the stuff left over that I had enough for the week and then some. Also made a couscous salad and my delicious and pretty simple potato salad. Together, the salads creates something tasty and healthy, and no need to think about lunch, which for a foodie like myself can take a few hours. Simple, tasty and healthy. What's even better is that this particular salad bowl can be made for winter too, with the hearty potatoes and chakalaka providing enough bite and carbs to keep you full and you can warm them up.

And because sharing is caring here is a recipe for the best couscous salad around. Of course, as with everything you can alter it according to your taste:

Ingredients:
1 cup couscous
3/4 boiling water
2 spoons olive oil
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1/2 cup pepper dews
1 cup baby marrow 
1 tsp garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Sunflower seeds (optional)

Cooking instructions:
1. In a hot pan, add 1 spoon olive oil and couscous and stir to coat
2. Add boiling water and garlic to pan
3. When water has evaporated, and couscous is fluffy take off heat.
4. In another pan heat olive oil with herbs (anything goes here), sometimes I like to add some sweet basil. And add chopped up vegetables and saute (until slightly crunchy for about 3/5 minutes.
5. Mix couscous with vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold.  Salad can last up to 3 days refrigerated.

Bon Appetite