Easy Summer Couscous Salad

Couscous is a pasta by way of North Africa and should be easy to find in the grocery. (Boxes should come with both stovetop and microwave cooking instructions.) This salad is good for when you just can't face another typical pasta salad at your block party, church picnic or family reunion. And this is just one version—feel free to change the herbs or to add any great vegetables you see at the market that weekend.

For couscous:

• 3 tablespoons butter from Cedar Summit Farm OR Organic Valley Vendors
  
• 1 cup couscous
  
• 2 cups water or chicken stock (you might need a little more to moisten)
  
• pinch salt

For salad:

• 2 to 3 small red onions
  
• 1 package feta cheese (about 5 to 7 ounces)
  
• 1 small bunch arugula (or parsley or basil)
  
• 2 tomatoes
  
• Vinaigrette
  
• Juice of one large lemon
  
• Olive Oil
  
• Salt/pepper

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring water, butter and salt just to moment of boiling.

Add couscous and put cover on. Take the pan off the heat.

Let it stand for five minutes. Meanwhile, dice your onions and shred your arugula into small bite-size pieces. Cut tomatoes into small pieces and get rid of seeds.

When couscous has cooled, put it into your serving bowl. Fluff it with fork, moisten with water or stock if there any lumps. Blend in your onions, arugula and tomatoes.

Crumble feta into small pieces into salad.

In a small bowl or jar, whisk lemon juice and olive oil together. Grind a little fresh salt and pepper into vinaigrette. Stir into salad.

Remember you can change this with any number of variations—toast pine nuts and add them in, maybe try a few chickpeas. Diced red peppers, small black olives, any spicy dark green—they're all fun.

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