Pearl Couscous Greek Salad with Tofu Feta

I know what you’re thinking… tofu feta? Wait. What? Yes, it works and it’s soooo good! It’s tangy, gives you the sense of real feta and it’s really fun to make. And this is coming from a Greek girl so you gotta trust me.

Tofu often gets a bad rep. It contains phytoestrogen, a natural receptor of estrogen, but that does not mean it IS estrogen! Phytoestrogen is natural plant hormones, not human hormones. The bodies phytoestrogen are relatively weak, meaning that eating soy and things like tofu can actually be beneficial and it can help lower your risk of cancer by actually blocking actual estrogen. However, saying that, everything should be enjoyed in moderation!

This salad I made with Bob’s Red Mill’s pearl couscous. Couscous are small balls of toasted semolina flour. During 1949-1959, Israel went through an austerity period during which food and other resources were rationed. Rice was a dietary staple, and it was scarce. There was a need to come up with an alternative and that first prime minister of Israel asked the founders of a food company to create a wheat-based substitute for rice. The result was what we now call couscous. Today couscous is still a staple in Israeli culture and beyond! What I love about it is that it absorbs the flavours of whatever you throw into the recipe.

This salad is light, and perfect for the spring or summer. It’s filled with flavour and brings out the taste of the mediterranean! This recipe is a good one to bring to a BBQ, summer party and especially as meal prep, as you can make it and it lasts for up to a week in the fridge!

Pearl Couscous Greek Salad with Tofu Feta and a creamy Dill Dressing

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The perfect summer-time salad! It is light with a twist of creamy.  Filled with fresh produce and abundant in flavour and tastes of Greece! Bring this to your next BBQ or family + friend gathering, everyone will be impressed that the Tofu Feta is cruelty free and actually tastes of Feta!

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Prep Time 5 hours hrs

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

  

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Tofu Feta:

• 1 350 G package extra firm organic tofu
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. almond milk
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegan mayo
• 1/2 cup peeled cucumber
• 3 tbsp fresh dill
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• season to taste

For the Salad:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked Pearl Couscous I used Bob's Red Mill
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes assorted, roughly chopped
• 2 cups cucumber slivered using a peeler
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion finely sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano dill or parsley

Instructions

 

For the Tofu:

• Prepare a large jar with lib or medium sized container and set aside.
• Open your packet of Tofu, rinse and pat dry.  Cut into 1 inch cubes and set aside.  Into your container of choice and the remainder of the ingredients and stir till well combined.  Add tofu and let marinate for at least 2 hour but I found that it tasted best after around 5!
• In the meant time prepare your dressing by adding all your ingredients into a large jar and using a hand blender bring it all together.  If you want this dressing to be ultra creamy you can add your olive oil as you blend, this is called emulsifying and it really add texture and silk to dressings; similar to Mayo!
• Now, for the best part, let's bring everything together.  For the salad, simply add all your ingredients into a large mixing bowl! Crumble over your "Feta" and serve with the dressing!
• I love finishing it all off with a drizzling of oil, dash of oregano and a small pinch of salt! This is the way to my heart!

Notes

You can leave the Tofu Feta over night.  Drain in the morning but leave a bit of brine to keep it hydrated!

This salad will last up to a week in the fridge in a tight sealed container.

Double the the dressing recipe if you love saucy salads, like I do!

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