In September of 2012 Duct Tape Marketing HQ moved our offices into the Crossroads Art District of Kansas City, MO. This midtown move has provided us with quite an upgrade for trendy lunch spots that are within walking distance of our desks.
While the excuse to get out of the office and stretch our legs is greatly appreciated I can’t always take the time for a sit-down lunch. As anyone else working for a small business knows, there is always another project, and sometimes those projects are accomplished over lunch. So I’ve started to recreate some of our favorites with slight personal preference improvements.
One of our new summer favorites is a creation we first tried at a restaurant called Extra Virgin. They are famous in KC for their tapas and seasonal creations. This spring and summer they created a Peanut Cucumber Salad that is an impeccable side dish if you want to share or a perfectly balanced main course to keep you powered through the afternoon without making you feel tired.
DTM Peanut Cucumber Salad
1 cup peanuts
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup pearled couscous (our fav is whole wheat)
1 bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Roast peanuts for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool and add to a salad bowl. Cook pearled couscous to the package directions. Let cool and add to the peanuts. Add cucumber and mix just until incorporated. Dice the bunch of cilantro and add to the bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix. Enjoy immediately.
P.S. I have yet to try it, but I think adding a dried tangy fruit might be a great addition — or, in the fall, a diced apple?
Jenna Jantsch is the Director of Marketing at Duct Tape Marketing. Her previous experience as a marketing consultant, business strategist and social media manager set her up to focus on the business development and planning at Duct Tape Marketing. Jenna has learned through marketing that “If you make a customer a part of the process then you can have a customer for life.” This idea is at the core of any marketing education or sales content Jenna produces at Duct Tape.
