Strawberry Couscous Salad

To be honest I started off with the intention of making a quinoa salad, but I pulled out this Israeli couscous from the pantry instead. It all worked out fine...

Not like instant couscous which takes no time at all to prepare, this couscous is larger and needs to be cooked 10-12 minutes to give an al dente to these pearls.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Israeli couscous 
2/3 cup water

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsps maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

2 cups beet greens, chopped
1 or 2 kale leaves, thinly sliced
1 green onion, sliced

3 or 4 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
1/2 orange sweet pepper, diced
1 small beet, cooked and shredded
1 cup strawberries (small whole or halved)

crumbled feta

Toast the couscous by tossing it around in a frying pan a bit. Bring the water to a boil, add the couscous and simmer 10-12 minutes until cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

Mix the beet greens (washed well), kale and green onion together and add the cooked couscous.

Mix the romaine, sweet pepper, beets and strawberries in a separate bowl and refrigerate.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and pulse in a food processor. Toss with the couscous mix. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.

When ready to serve mix the romaine mix with the already dressed couscous mix and serve topped with crumbled feta.

Makes 4 side dishes.

Here alongside a Kofta burger pattie.
I used this recipe for Kofta but made patties instead of forming the meat on skewers. Barbecued like a hamburger pattie.

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2015/05/kofta-with-homemade-tzatziki.html