Couscous Salad

Makes 4 servings

5 oz. couscous
3-4 cups water, boiling
3/4 cup chickpeas
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1/3 cup black olives, pitted
1/3 cup onions, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Pepper, freshly ground
5-6 lettuce leaves
5-6 fresh mint leaves

Add the couscous to the boiling water. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Drain the excess water in the strainer and place into a dish. Add the chickpeas, bell pepper, olives, onions, and mint. Toss the ingredients with the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Lay the lettuce leaves in a serving dish and pile the salad over the bed of leaves. To garnish, make a flower in the center with the mint leaves. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

We threw a party for my friend who just came back from serving 2 years in Mauritania for the Peace Corps. I was getting a little tired of making my bean salad for every summer cookout-ish party so I thought I would expand my salad repitoire and make something different. I found this couscous salad recipe in a list of "scrumptious summer recipes" somewhere.

This recipe was really easy. I am really starting to appreciate couscous since it takes all of 5 minutes to make. I goofed a couple things. The first thing was the red peppers. I started chopping before I roasted and peeled them. Woops. So we had fresh chopped red peppers. I don't think it majorly changed the recipe but next time I will make it right. The second thing I goofed was the couscous. Since it's so easy to make I totally forgot about it sitting in the boiling water so I ended up with some not so easily fluffed, congealed couscous.

I got a few compliments. I'd add more chick peas next time. And not screw up so much.