1. In a frypan, on a medium heat, place 1 cup of pearl couscous. For 6-8 minutes, stir frequently.

2. Remove the frypan from the heat, pour in 1 cup of vegetable stock, and put the lid on. Allow the couscous to steam cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and use a fork to separate the couscous. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
If using quinoa, add 1 cup to a saucepan with 2 cups of water.Bring to a boil, lower the heat and put the lid on for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Use a fork to fluff the quinoa.

3. Add 200g of cherry tomatoes, 1 diced cucumber, 1 chopped red onion, 1 chopped red capsicum, 1 cup pitted black olives, ½ cup chopped dried apricots, 1 can drained peas, ½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup fresh dill and ¼ cup alfalfa sprouts. Mix through.

4. In a separate bowl mix ¼ cup agave syrup, ¼ cup olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper, to taste. Pour dressing through couscous salad and combine.

Immune Boosting

A serving of this salad can produce collagen, boost your antioxidant count and keep your immune system thriving. Thanks to the red capsicum and cherry tomatoes, this recipe contains high levels of vitamin C, with one serving reaching your daily requirements! Vitamin C is water soluble, which means the body cannot store it and you must replenish it every day. One of it’s well-known benefits is helping our body fight off infection and sickness. It achieves this by producing antioxidants that attach themselves to damaging particles in the body to reduce future harm. It also helps produce collagen, which is the main component of connective tissue, found everywhere from your skin, tendons and bones. As we get older, the body has a harder time producing collagen, so it is important to eat foods that encourage this process, because we all want stronger bones, healthier skin and thicker hair, right?!

The couscous also provides you with a good amount of selenium, which is a mineral known for its powerful antioxidant content. It helps to decrease unnecessary inflammation in the body and repairs cell damage.