Yellow squash and mint are abundant in the last weeks of summer and into early fall. That’s why this couscous salad is a perfect healthy dish for the Labor Day weekend gathering or football tailgating. We adapted this recipe by Marcia Kiesel from Oprah magazine but reduced a few ingredients by using our infused products. Grilling the squash in garlic oil adds a savory element and the jalapeño vinegar gives a little zing to the bright flavor of mint. The green herbs and arugula let you say goodbye to summer while the yellow squash reminds you that in only a few weeks, the leaves will be turning color. You can easily whip this up in under 30 minutes!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup couscous, whole wheat or plain
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons Olive This! Garlic Olive Oil, divided
- ¼ cup Olive This! Jalapeno white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 3 to 4 yellow squash
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 10 scallions, sliced
- 2 cups arugula, coarsely chopped
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Place the 1 cup of uncooked couscous into a heatproof bowl or saucepan with a fitted lid. Pour 1½ cups of boiling water over the couscous and stir to combine. Immediately cover with lid and let cook for 5 minutes.
After the five minutes of rest, fluff the couscous with a fork and leave uncovered to cool. We recommend setting a timer for the 5 minutes so you fluff the couscous at the right time. Once we let it sit too long without fluffing and the couscous stuck together and was too gummy and chunky.
While the couscous is cooking, prepare the dressing. To a medium bowl, add the ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of garlic olive oil, ¼ cup of jalapeno balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup chopped mint, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper (adjust according to taste). Whisk well.
Add the dressing to the couscous and stir well. Set aside.
Slice the squash in half crosswise and then cut each half into ½-inch slices (see photo above).
Drizzle the sliced squash with the garlic olive oil and season well with salt.
Place the seasoned slices of squash on your grill outside or on a grill pan atop the stove. Grill for about 3 minutes per side or until well charred.
Chop the grilled slices of squash into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
To a large mixing bowl, add the seasoned couscous, coarsely chopped arugula, chopped grilled squash, crumbled feta cheese and sliced scallions.
Toss well and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
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