Everything you want in a summer salad. Crunchy, tangy, light, versatile and it whips up in minutes. Use what you have on hand for veggies and if you are feeling creative, mix it up in terms of ingredients and dressing. Paired here with a grilled lemon/rosemary chicken and some buttered and peppered corn.

I love a summer salad in the refrigerator, it is the gift that keeps on giving. Make it once, have it for days. I have posted recipes for rice salad, orzo salad, pasta salad and potato salad. Today we are doing a crunchy couscous salad and I am using everything I have in my own refrigerator and pantry. Waste not, want not.

If you've not used a lot of couscous, you need to get on it. Super simple, super tasty and cooks in minutes. It is a pantry must. Couscous is basically a semolina product -- not quite pasta, but little grains of semolina. There is also a "pearled" version that it a little larger which would work fantastically in this recipe. I just did not have any, so there.

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups couscous
2 cups broth or water
1 TBSP. olive oil
Every crunchy veggie you have and/or like -- I used 1/2 cup each of red peppers, summer squash (raw), snow peas, and red onion (rinse under cold water before adding to the mix)
1/2 cup of canned chick peas, rinsed
1/4 cup of chopped pine nuts
3 TBSP. chopped fresh parsley

Prepare the couscous per package directions, fluff with a fork and cool. Add your veggies, dress lightly with a vinaigrette and add the cheese right before serving. Perfection!

Prepare the couscous according to the package directions. I use roughly 1 3/4 cups of grain to 2 cups of liquid. Soooo easy to make! Boil liquid with a splash of olive oil, add couscous, take off heat and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and voila!

While the couscous cools, prep your veggies and beans. You can go so many ways here. I've used chopped snow peas, red pepper, summer squash and red onion, but if you had leftover grilled vegetables from the night before, that would be fantastic. Tomatoes and cucumber would also be great. I've used chickpeas, but any kind of bean would be good. Or you could leave them out. I add the veggies and the pine nuts to the cooled couscous. Now it's time to make the dressing. I'm going lemon vinaigrette, but I might splash a little red wine vinegar in there too.

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

3 TBSP. olive oil
the zest and juice of two lemons
a splash of red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP. fresh chopped parsley, chive, oregano, mint -- any combo
1 clove finely minced garlic or shallot, for a milder flavor

Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar, shake vigorously, then add to the couscous and veggies. Toss and let them all get funky with themselves in the refrigerator for a bit.

The dressing gets added to the salad to marry for a bit in the refrigerator. Before serving I stir in a bit of parmesan (1/2 cup?) and then serve with some grilled chicken and fresh corn. Yum.

Right before serving, I add some cheese. Today is grated parmesan, but a crumbled feta would be great, coupled with some black olives, maybe? My people aren't big on the feta/olives combo, so I leave them out, but if this was just for me, they would be in there.

This salad makes a great side dish and a perfect lunch all by itself. Take it to the beach, you'll find it delicious and light! Put your own twist on it and enjoy.

Healthy Crunchy Couscous Salad Recipe