Recipe: Couscous Salad with Chickpeas

Here’s another recipe from the Cooking Light salad feature.  This is a vegetarian couscous salad, and it works equally well as a side salad as it does as a main course.  I served it with some store-bought rotisserie chicken, and it was a tasty, hearty meal.

The chickpeas add some heft and protein, so an animal product really isn’t necessary.  Between the sweetness of the cinnamon, the acidity of the lemon juice and tomatoes, the smokiness of the paprika, and the freshness of the mint and green onions, there is a lot going on with this simple salad – yet, it takes practically no time to throw together.  I substituted goat cheese for the feta (since I like it better and I had plenty on hand), but either would work.

The dish held up well for lunch the next day, too.  Enjoy!

• 1  cup  uncooked whole-wheat couscous
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper, divided
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1  cup  boiling water
• 3  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• Dash of sugar
• 1/3  cup  chopped fresh mint
• 1/4  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 1/8  teaspoon  smoked paprika
• 1  (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 1  large ripe tomato, chopped
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Place couscous, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in boiling water; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Combine oil, juice, garlic, and sugar.

Add oil mixture, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mint, and next 4 ingredients (through tomato). Sprinkle with cheese.

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Posted in Recipes
Tags: Cooking Light, Recipes, Salads, Vegetarian