Warm Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint

I hope everyone had a great holiday – I know I did! We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house so we could watch the kids open presents on Christmas morning – they were so fun! (I’m the oldest of 6, so there are still some little ones at home). My youngest brother got a little remote control monkey that sits on his shoulder. It’s pretty much the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Also, if you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen that I was out of the country for the last two weeks. I was actually on a Caribbean Cruise! It’s been a few years since the two of us have taken a vacation that was more than just a long weekend, so it was really nice to get away (the warm weather and gorgeous beaches didn’t hurt either).

Now I’m back, rested, and ready to go… but between the all-you-can-eat buffets and general holiday indulgence I’ll admit that my pants are a little tight right now. 😉   Oh well, no time like the present to get back to eating healthily! Seriously, who says you have to wait until the New Year to start eating right? Especially if it means eating this flavorful couscous salad. I served the salad with some seared tuna that I dusted with za’atar seasoning for a perfectly delicious post-holiday meal. As an added bonus, it only takes 20 minutes from start to finish – perfect for easing out of holiday/vacation mode and back into normalcy.

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Warm Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint

Serves 2
Prep Time: 5 Minutes; Total Time: 20 Minutes

Prepared dressing makes this salad a snap to make; zucchini and mint bulk it up and add a unique and special flavor. Serve it warm and the couscous will soak up all of the flavor from the dressing. Leftovers – if you have them – are great at room temperature.

Israeli couscous is different than the Northern African couscous that you might be familiar with. It’s larger and made of wheat rather than semolina – and it has a fantastic, chewy texture. Israeli couscous is sometimes sold as pearled couscous or Ptitim. If you can’t find it, orzo makes a good substitute.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Israeli Couscous
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons minced Red Onion
• 1 small Zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup MarzettiSimply Dressed Greek Feta Salad Dressing
• 2 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Mint
• Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Add the couscous and cover the pot. Reduce heat and simmer couscous for 8 minutes, or until water has been absorbed and couscous is cooked through. Remove from heat.
2. While the couscous is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil. Heat the oil for a minute or two, and add the onion. Cook for 1 minute, then add the zucchini. Cook 3-4 minutes, until vegetables are softened.
3. Toss together the cooked couscous, vegetables, dressing, and mint. Season with pepper.

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I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company to review Simply Dressed Refrigerated Salad Dressings. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been provided products for review. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.