Simple Summer Salad Series

I’m going to start off a Simple Summer Salad Series using ingredients mentioned in earlier posts. This recipe for Couscous Salad uses both and , and it promises to be light and refreshing!

What is couscous? Couscous is actually tiny granules of wheat pasta. It’s available in your local grocery store near the packaged rice products and is easy to prepare. Plain couscous pairs well with many different spices and herbs because it will “take on” their respective flavors, much like rice and pasta.

Couscous Salad (recipe courtesy of Susan Stowell):

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

2 C Low-Sodium Chicken Stock

1 tsp Cinnamon

One 10 oz. box Plain Couscous

1 large Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

½ C sliced Green Onions

½ C chopped Red Onions

¾ C Red, Yellow, Orange cherry or grape tomatoes

 ½ C canned Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed

 ¼ C chopped Mint

 ¼ C chopped Cilantro

 ½ C chopped Basil

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

Zest and juice of 1 Lemon, plus 2 TBSP Lemon Juice

 ¼ C Olive Oil

½ tsp Black Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put chicken stock and cinnamon in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and transfer to a bowl large enough for all ingredients. Cool to room temperature while preparing vegetables.
2. Add vegetables to couscous and toss together.
3. Put dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Pour over salad and toss to coat all ingredients with dressing.

Read along over the next several weeks and start your grocery list so you have ingredients on hand to whip up a great salad or two for your outdoor entertaining fun this summer!