Couscous Salad With Chickpeas

Couscous Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumbers, Dash of Lemon, & Chipotle Peppers

Couscous is a traditional food from Northern African cultures, and consists of small balls of durum wheat or semolina flour. Couscous is more than the food so nice they named it twice Khoos-Khoos, it also has a wide variety of health benefits, including the ability to increase heart health, prevent bacterial and viral infections, promote normal metabolism throughout the body’s systems, controls fluid levels in the body, improve digestion, build muscles, and boosting the immune system.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup uncooked whole-wheat couscous
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup chopped parsley/broccoli
• 1/2 cup cucumber
• 1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) boiled
• 1 large ripe tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

DRESSING

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Dash of sugar/agave nectar
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place couscous, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Stir in boiling water; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Combine oil, juice, garlic, and sugar/agave nectar.
3. Add in to the oil mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chipotle (in adobo sauce), mint, and rest of the ingredients (chickpeas, green onions,). Sprinkle fresh parsley.