Mmmm... Tasty!

At the beginning of the summer I purchased a cropshare from a local organic farm (Bell Organic) with my co-worker Sharla. This entitled us to 18 weeks of vegetables and 12 weeks of fresh fruits. I figured I spend money on fresh vegetables and fruit anyway, why not get some premium super fresh produce, support local business, and broaden my horizons and try some new veggies all at once?

For me this proved to be a good investment--having fresh vegetables and fruit in your fridge all the time is something I've definitely become accustomed to. We get everything from spring mix lettuce, cabbage, carrots, garlic, kale, swiss chard, onions, green onions, basil, cilantro, beet greens, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, cucumber, watermelon, peaches, nectarines, etc. Sounds good doesn't it?

As a result I've been trying to use up vegetables by finding new recipes. My favorite recipe site is allrecipes.com and that's where I found my new favorite dish: Black Bean and Couscous Salad. It tastes so summery and fresh and is delicious with chicken. Try it out for yourself!

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

• 1 cup uncooked couscous


• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth


• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice


• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin


• 8 green onions, chopped


• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped


• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro


• 1 cup frozen corn kernals, thawed


• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained


• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 qt or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes

In a large bowl whisk together olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.

Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refridgerate until ready to serve.

Ta-da! Doesn't that sound easy and delicious? I like to add chicken to this recipe to make it more of a main dish and sometimes I throw in other veggies I have on hand as well. Enjoy!