Description

This is a gorgeous and colorful salad that can make the perfect summer dish, but can be enjoyed year round, as well. It's full of fresh, Mediterranean ingredients that everyone will enjoy so much, you probably won't have any leftovers.

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• ¼ c. olive oil
• 2 t. honey
• 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 1-2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• Salad:
• 5 c. water
• 1 c. Israeli Couscous
• 1 t. olive oil
• 1 T. salt
• 2 ½ c. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 large seedless cucumber (if plastic-wrapped; about 1 lb.), diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• ½ c. Kalamata olives, halved
• ¾ c. Feta cheese, crumbled (French feta is great)
• 2 t. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 T. fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 ½ T. fresh oregano or parsley, finely chopped
• 2 t. fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ t. coarse salt, like sea salt

Steps

1. Dressing:
2. Combine all dressing ingredients in a shaker or jar; shake well to combine; set aside.
3. Bring water to boil in a medium-size pot. Add couscous, olive oil and 1 T. salt. This may seem like a lot, but very little will actually be absorbed into the pasta. Return to a boil; reduce to a steady simmer; cook 8-9 minutes or until al dente. Drain well: rinse with cool water; drain. Transfer to a medium size bowl.