Cous Cous and Lemon Almond Salad

When its summer, sometimes you don't want anything heavy and overly filling. Just a nice, light salad can hit the spot. Particularly when you pair it with a glass of pink lemonade, a nice spot to eat (maybe on a patio or beside a pool), a good book, some really nice sunglasses...I could go on!

The only problem I have with most salads (not including the pasta variety), is that I am really hungry an hour after eating it. Like, did I forget to eat or something? A lack of protein and carbs is typically to blame. I don't run on vegetables alone after all!

This summer salad is host to some lovely fresh vegetables, crunchy almonds, crasins, a refreshing lemon vinaigrette, and my new favourite salad mix-in, cous cous!


Cous cous looks like a small grain, but is in fact a pasta! It is really simple to make, and tastes great in a variety of ways. It is a kind of rice substitue, with a really neat texture, and if that isn't enough, it is really economical! (About 2 dollars a box- which will last you until the turn of the century).



Ingredients:

Cous Cous:
1/2 cup boiling water
Just over 1/4 cup cous cous
lemon pepper seasoning (or you can use salt)

Salad:
a handful of raw almonds
romaine lettuce
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup crasins (or any other dried fruit you prefer)

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp coarse salt
pinch of freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Add the cous cous and a few shakes of the lemon pepper seasoning to the boiling water. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff cous cous with a fork when the water has absorbed into the pasta.

2. Assmble salad with 1 portion of chopped romaine lettuce, cucumber, almonds, crasins.

3. For the vinaigrette: in a jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, garlic salt, and pepper.

4. Toss salad with dressing and top with cous cous.