I like to serve this salad at Big Mill B&B on hot summer days with a side dish of fruit.

It is one of those good-for -you salads, and I am always surprised at how many folks who have never heard of couscous.

Couscous Salad   (Couscous is a North African staple of tiny grains of semolina. It can be found in most grocery stores)
• 1 10-ounce box plain couscous                                                           
• ½ teaspoon sea salt plus more for the cooked couscous, if desired
• 2-3 small spring onions & tops, chopped
• 5 or 6 radishes, diced small
• 1 small pickling cucumber or ½ English cucumber
• 1 medium size red, yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 15-ounce can chick peas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen green garden peas
• 1 small (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• Several fresh mint leaves, minced
• Juice of 4-5 lemons
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Handful of grape tomatoes, halved and reserved

Other things you can add: ½ cup fresh snow peas, cut in half or ½ cup blanched green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

(Note: This salad can be as colorful and as interesting as you make it)

Cook couscous according to package directions, adding the sea salt to the water. (If you do not have directions, do the following:  Put 2 cups of water and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups couscous and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.)

Stir in the diced onions, radishes, cucumber and pepper. Add the chick peas, garden peas and olives. Stir in the minced parsley and mint.

Add the lemon juice and olive oil, both to taste. If needed, add more of both.

Serve chilled over a bed of leaf lettuce. Just before serving add the halved grape tomatoes. If you plan to keep some of the salad, do not add the tomatoes to the entire salad, just to the portions that you plan to serve.

Yield: 8 1-cup servings

This salad will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

You’ll find more Big Mill Bed & Breakfast recipes here and here on Choe’s Blog.  Enjoy!

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