With summer’s arrival the desire for coolness increases...and we are not just talking about air conditioning! Even at the table, the richest foods make room for fresh dishes, prepared with easy and fast recipes. Outdoor lunches, trips out of town or afternoons at the beach, in fact, demand delicious and cool meals, to lighten the day without getting too full.
So, green light for delicious cous cous and barley: appetizing and satisfying. Grain salads are a great alternative to the traditional dish of pasta. Convenient to enjoy at the park, the beach or at the office, grain recipes are very versatile: just choose the ingredients and let your creativity run wild for a dish that is always original. They can be served as a first course, with vegetables that are in season or, by adding some protein, the result will be unique, well-balanced main courses.
In addition to rice there are many other grains with which to experiment your summer dishes: spelt, cous cous, bulgur, quinoa and barley, accompanied with grilled or baked vegetables, herbs, chicken or cheese. In no time, you will have delicious, light, irresistible dishes that, thanks to the proper content of fiber, protein and minerals, will also be the perfect allies to staying in shape.
We have selected four recipes for you from Italian culinary tradition. Imagined specifically for summer days: foods for health and hunger!
Cous cous with peas and zucchini
Cous cous with zucchini and peas is an easy, tasty and quick-to-prepare first course dish. It is a healthy, nutritious dish, delicious eaten also cold and perfect for lunch at the office, at the beach or wherever you prefer. Young and old will really love it!
It is really easy to prepare; first, pour 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan and sauté the peas and zucchini, cut into thin, round slices, for one minute. Then add the Strained Tomato Sauce, salt, pepper, parsley, and cook the sauce for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While waiting for it to cook, pour a tablespoon of oil in a saucepan and brown the cous cous for a few seconds. Turn off the heat, add the lightly salted hot water and cover with a lid. In 2-3 minutes, the cous cous will be done: separate it with a fork and season the pea and zucchini sauce.
Allow to cool before serving.
Barley with tomato and feta cheese
Barley with tomato and feta cheese is a first course dish that is really delicious and stands out from the usual first course dishes. Prepared with strained tomato sauce, feta cheese and black olives, in just a few minutes and with simple ingredients you will prepare a good, healthy dish, and it is delicious also chilled!
First, cook the barley in boiling salted water for 30-35 minutes. Pour the oil in the pan, finely chop the onion and a clove of garlic and brown lightly. Then add the Pomì strained tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and cook the sauce for approximately 25 minutes. Once cooked, drain the barley well and season it with the sauce, next add the feta cheese cut into small cubes and the black olives. Enjoy your barley immediately with the tomato or serve it cold, goodness is guaranteed!
Bulgur with vegetables
Bulgar, peas and burrata is a fresh and tasty vegetable dish. It is ideal for a quick lunch and also perfect if you are not eating at home. It is very easy to prepare and success is guaranteed! First, heat the water to cook the bulgar. Pour the extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan and lightly brown the onion, finely chopped. Add the peas and sauté for a few minutes. Next, add the Pomì strained tomatoes, season with salt, black pepper, basil and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Cook the bulgar in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. Drain ‘al dente’ and add the sauce with peas. Allow it to cool completely and then add the shredded burrata. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some black pepper.
Cold cous cous with vegetables
Cold cous cous with vegetables is also a very easy to prepare fresh dish: first, place the Pomì strained tomatoes inside a saucepan and add a whole onion, peeled well, a chili pepper and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Turn on the stove and heat. Cut all the vegetables to small pieces and add them to the sauce, add half a glass of water, stir well and cook for 10 minutes. Once ready, season with salt and pepper.
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the cous cous. Heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and brown the precooked cous cous for a few seconds. Turn off the heat, pour 200 ml of water into the saucepan, cover with a lid and wait 3-4 minutes, the cous cous will absorb the water and increase in volume. Next, add the sauce with vegetables to the cous cous and the dish is ready. The cold cous cous with vegetables can be refrigerated for a maximum of 3 days.
