Lentil Couscous Salad
Light & Tasty
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“The delectable blend of flavors in this easy lentil salad convinced me to enter a men's cooking contest,” writes Shannon Schunicht, College Station, Texas. It won first prize and kudos from his wife, Christie.
SERVINGS: 5
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Chill
TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 25 min. + chilling
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
- 5 cups water, divided
- 3/4 cup uncooked couscous
- 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 to 3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring lentils and 4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18-22 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain; transfer to a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring remaining water to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5-10 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork; cool.
Add the red pepper, corn, onions and couscous to lentils. In a small bowl, whisk the oil and vinegar. Whisk in the cilantro, jalapeno, hot pepper sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Yield: 5 servings.