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When I saw this recipe, it looked like a quick and healthy weeknight meal. As soon as the first forkful hit Dino's mouth, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he dubbed it, "an instant 5 star recipe". Wow! This salad packs a ton of flavor, and it's really summery and refreshing. We loved the subtle hint of cinnamon and smoked paprika in the background, and the tanginess from the lemon juice was just perfect. I used a fantastic tomato from the Farmers' Market, and it really made the dish extra special. This dish is easy to put together, and incredibly tasty. We'll definitely be making this again and again!
Couscous Salad with Chickpeas
Cooking Light July 2010
Total: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 ⅓ cups salad and 3 tablespoons cheese)
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked whole-wheat couscous
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
Dash of sugar
⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
¾ cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1. Place couscous, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in boiling water; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Combine oil, juice, garlic, and sugar.
3. Add oil mixture, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, mint, and next 4 ingredients (through tomato). Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 351 Fat: 16.2g (sat 4.7g,mono 8.6g,poly 1.6g) Protein: 11g Carbohydrate: 43.6g Fiber: 7.7g Cholesterol: 19mg Iron: 2.6mg Sodium: 655mg Calcium: 154mg
MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars
Joanne says
This is exactly the kind of meal that I love! Cinnamon in savory dishes makes my head spin.
Hannah says
Quick, healthy, and containing chickpeas? Sign me up! Sounds wonderful. 🙂
Katie says
Mother Dunn was coming out for a visit and I knew I had to make this. It was really easy (even for lazy me) and perfect for a hot, muggy day. This will be joining my regular rotation along with the peanut sauce / tofu / noodle thing. Make more veggie things, you!
Ashley says
This stuff was awesome leftover, too!
Katie - anything that gets the Mama Dunn stamp of approval is good with me! I'm planning to make a tasty tofu recipe this week...hopefully it'll turn out as yummy as it sounds! Stay tuned 🙂
Ashley Blossom says
I am making this tonight for my omnivorous husband and vegetarian self. 🙂
For an appetizer, I'm going to make up some hummus in the food processor and bake pita to make pita chips! Thanks for a veg-friendly recipe!
Ashley Blossom says
UPDATE: We made this and loved it! I think it'd be perfect for a summer potluck or an added dish to a barbecue! 🙂
Ashley says
Isn't it great?! I love this stuff so much! And the fact that it's good leftover makes it even better! So glad you enjoyed it...and I love your name 🙂
Katie says
Daniel and I are making this, yet again. He is chopping mint currently, and I am trying not to pre-eat too much of the feta. Love to you & Dino and the belly dweller!
Ashley says
I'm glad you guys like so much!! I totally eat a ton of feta pre-dinner when I make this, too. Mmmm...
LOL...belly dweller 😉
Ashley says
I come back to this recipe so often! We just made it again this afternoon!
Katie says
We're making our first post-winter couscous salad! Tomatoes are not great yet, but I couldn't wait.
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen says
I've been thinking about this one lately, too! Hope you enjoy it. I think it would be good with a few cherry or grape tomatoes, too. Mmmm...
Katie says
Stilllllll making this. It's a summer staple! 🙂
Ashley says
This makes me so happy to hear, Katie!! This post is one that's been on my list to revamp soon - thanks for reminding me about it (just in time for summer, too!)