Couscous Vegetable Salad
Perfect for Passover or Easter!
Foodie Lit
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With spring on its way, fresh vegetables are fabulous to add to couscous for a wonderful salad. Serve as a first course, side dish or a light meal in itself. Toasting the couscous or other grains boosts the flavor as does using fresh herbs. Add to your menu for Passover or Easter
9for Passover swap tthe couscous for quinoa.) I like the tri-color Israeli couscous for prettiness. Grain salads are easy to make, endlessly variable with what you have on hand. With the warm weather coming, these salads are so appealing as they can be served warmed, room temperature or cold. Salad tastes great the next day too!
Megan Kimsey is a remarkable child and grows into a remarkable woman. Lurking beyond her Catholic upbringing, her physician’s training and her visions, is another life 400 years before. Her life as an Incan breaks through her consciousness, compelling her to go on a journey to the heights of the Andes and the remnants of the Incan Empire. “As she holds Bella, the image of Bella dissolves and she realizes that she holds her son from another life, Kantu, frozen to death.” Sometimes it is hard to know what you are seeing.
Couscous Vegetable Salad
Serves 2 as a main course, 6 as a side dish.
1 cup dry Israeli couscous
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes, drained and rinsed
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup crisp cucumber, diced
½ cup black olives, pitted and sliced
¼ cup diced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or more to taste
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste
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In a pan over medium heat, place dry couscous and toast. Stir and shake pan frequently to prevent sticking or burning. Toast for about 5 minutes or until golden.
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Pour boiling water over couscous and place lid on pan. Cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes until water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and fork the couscous to separate.
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Place couscous in a large bowl. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
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Prepare vegetables and herbs and add to bowl. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust. If you are making the salad a day ahead of time, you may need a bit more oil and vinegar before serving.
Expandthetable suggestions
Kosher for Passover or Gluten free: Use quinoa in place of couscous
Pine nuts: Add toasted pine nuts
Additional veggies: Sliced radishes, fresh corn shaved off the cob, marinated artichoke hearts. Snow peas, matchstick cut carrots, canned chick peas well drained,
Other Grains: Try this recipe with farro, brown rice, lentils, following package instructions for cooking grains.
Add some heat: Add up to 1 jalapeño pepper, minced. Remove seeds to lessen heat.
Adapted from The Stingy Vegan