Ten minutes, start to finish, in one bowl with all the major food groups. You can’t get much more instant than that!

My tuna couscous salad is usually made with a bowl of couscous pulled out of the fridge after the kids are finally in bed and my husband and I are starving. Five minutes later, we’re eating. Like most salads, it’s cold. Today, I needed an instant meal, and there was no couscous in the fridge that I could make a tuna salad from. So, I adapted an old favorite into this warm, wintery, one-bowl wonder. Here’s the first of those couscous salads I promised you:

I made a package of couscous, adding a chopped carrot before the hot water to steam with the couscous.
Foolproof Couscous
The rest of the veggies, I chopped while the couscous was cooking. And it tasted great!

Warm Tuna Couscous Salad
350 g/2 cups dry instant couscous, prepared  (Foolproof Couscous)
1 large carrot
1 medium tomato
1-2 stalks celery
2 pickles
1 hard-boiled egg
1 can tuna in oil,* drained
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop a carrot while the water for your couscous is boiling. Add to bowl with dry couscous with teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons oil, and a dash of black pepper. Mix well.
2. Add boiling water to cover ,about 2 cups. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, chop the tomato, celery, and pickle. Peel and chop the hard-boiled egg.
4. Add vegetables, egg, and tuna. Mix thoroughly.
5. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve warm.

*If using tuna packed in water, add a teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil to the salad.