Cous Cous Salad

A light dinner for when you need some good old carbohydrates.

Cous cous cooks in a 2:1 ratio of liquid to solid.  Most brands I buy soak up all of this liquid once you bring it a boil, add the pearls, and simmer on very low heat while covered.  Some are strange and cook more like pasta that has to be strained, so whatever the box says goes.  I like to cook mine in stock and a little salt and pepper for more flavor.  Personally, I much prefer pearl/Israeli/Lebanese cous cous, but whatever works.  You could substitute it for quinoa, as well.

While it cooks, dice up cucumber, cherry tomato, and kalamata olive.  Whatever ratios you prefer.  Dress the salad with a little olive oil, a few splashes of balsamic vinegar, a splash of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Once the cous cous is done run it under cold water to stop it from over cooking and cool it down.  Add it to the salad and toss with any additional seasonings you need to balance it out right.

Here were the exact-ish amounts I used to get about 4 servings:

• 1 cup pearl cous cous
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1.5 cucumbers, diced
• 1.5 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
• .5 cups of kalamata olives, halved
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

I have added drained and rinsed canned garbanzo beans to this often for some protein, and that is good!