Couscous Salad

Couscous salad is a refreshing change from a pasta salad, with a light dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.  This is a vegan recipe, and you can add chickpeas for protein to make it a more substantial lunch dish. 

Ingredients:

- 1 cup couscous

- 1 cup boiling water

- 1 cup diced cucumber

- 1/2 cup diced red or yellow peppers

- 1 cup seeded and diced tomatoes

- 1/2 cup diced red onion

- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

- 1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned chickpeas - optional

- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 1/2 tsp dried oregano

- Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, add the boiling water to the couscous and stir.

2. Let sit for 5 minutes to absorb the water.

3. Fluff the couscous with a fork, breaking apart any clumps.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine the diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and mint.

5. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper.

6. Pour the olive oil and lemon juice mixture over the vegetables in the mixing bowl and toss to coat them.

7. Add the cooked couscous to the mixing bowl and gently toss everything together until well combined.

8. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

9. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to meld together.