Summery Fasting Meal...

IN THE KITCHEN TODAY we made a wonderful couscous salad. Sometimes during the fast it's easy to get in a rut of soup and bread. I know some folks that eat pb & j all during the fast, but I'm sorry I just can't do that. During the cooler weather soup is my easy go to dinner, but during the summer on a hot day, who wants to each HOT soup?? Not me!

So the other day when I was at Costco I noticed that they now carry the Israeli Couscous. If you're not familiar with couscous it comes in two difference forms. Normal couscous is semolina that is sprinkled with water and rolled to form small pellets. It is then sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved. Pellets which are too small to be finished granules of couscous and fall through the sieve will be again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny granules of couscous. Israeli couscous on the other hand is an Israeli toasted pasta shaped like rice or little balls. It is much larger and has a softer texture. Both varieties cook up fast (about 20 minutes) and are a great substitute for rice.

The product that Costco now carries is a blend of mainly Israeli couscous, but also includes some lentils and orzo. It makes a really nice hardy salad for a hot day!

First I made one batch of couscous, following the directions on the package. Then as that cooled I chopped up veggies, added some sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives and about two teaspoons of dried basil. Since we are not "strictly" following the fast I did also add a bit of feta cheese, but you could certainly leave that out. Then just toss and serve. I didn't really think it needed a "dressing", but if you wanted you could make up a dressing of lemon juice, a dash of vinegar and veggie or coconut oil and I'm sure it would be great too!

Some lovely pita bread, homemade hummus and fresh cantaloupe rounded out our meal! It turned out really well and everyone just gobbled it down. Let me know if you give it a try.

A blessed feast of  the 7 Holy Youths "Seven Sleepers" of Ephesus!

Troparion - Tone 4  Your holy martyrs, O Lord, Through their sufferings have received their incorruptible crowns from You, our God. For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, And shattered the powerless boldness of demons. Through their intercessions, save our souls! Kontakion - Tone 4 Those who renounced the perishing comforts of this world, Preferring the eternal things of Heaven, Were incorrupt after death and rose from the the dead And buried the snares of devils! O Faithful, let us then honor them, singing a hymn of praise to Christ!