Couscous Salad

I was once teased by a family member for my love of salads and the comment was, 'salads and leaves are for goats only'. Well, I laughed it off and didn't change anything. As I started to bring on taste and variety into my salads, the notion that it is only for herbivores started to change.

I tried this recipe with Couscous and at times I substitute Quinoa. With a twist and a kick any salad can be satisfying and sumptuous.

Ingredients:

Couscous – 1 cup
Salt – 1/4 tsp or to taste
Boiling Water – 1 1/2 cups
Olive Oil – 1 Tbsp (optional)
Green Onions – 2-3 stalks (chopped)
Red Peppers – 1/2 chopped, any color
Cucumber – 1/2 medium, peeled and chopped
Cilantro – 10 sprigs, chopped
Tomatoes – 2 medium or handful of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Green Chilies – to taste, finely chopped
Garbanzo Beans – 15 oz can, washed and drained
Dried Cranberries – handful
Chopped Walnuts – handful
Salt – to taste
Black Pepper – to taste
Lemon/Lime Juice – to taste

Method:

Cook Couscous and set it aside to cool. Next add the above ingredients. Give it a good mix and you are done.