Couscous Vegetable Salad with Honey Mint Vinaigrette

It has been years since I made couscous. Quinoa and farro have been my go-to grains for years and the other day I saw some couscous on the shelf at the store and thought, hello old friend.

Look how the fluffy light grains cling to the vegetables, much lighter and less chew than quinoa and farro.

The honey lemon mint vinaigrette is so good. After I made this salad I immediately made a double batch of the vinaigrette while everything was out so I can dress all my vegetables with it, cooked or raw, this week. You should double the recipe if you try this, you’ll want extra.

The dressing is super easy.

Lemon Mint Honey Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 tablespoons mustard. I used a grainy mustard, you can use that or dijon
salt and pepper

Put everything in a small food processor and blend until it is smooth. Taste for more mustard or salt and pepper.

For the salad I used;

1 cup of couscous soaked in 1 cup of hot water (package directions)
1 cucumber
1 zucchini
1 fennel
optional; a handful of almonds and at the last minute I added some cherries and some feta cheese, as always, use what you like and what you have.

Slice the vegetables very thinly with a mandolin or with a vegetable peeler.