Garden Couscous Salad

A great light meal or potluck salad...it looks pretty in the dish with the different shapes and colors. I made this for an office gathering yesterday, and, when someone asked for the recipe, I thought I would look it up on Recipezaar and just send them the link...I was amazed that it wasn't here already, so I had to add it! This comes from "Modern Publishing's Popular Brand Cookbooks: Vegetables". So, the olives are specified as "California" olives in the original recipe :) I'll add a picture the next time I make it.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Salad

• 1  cup couscous
• 1 2⁄3 cups boiling water
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup  whole pitted ripe olives (I use small)
• 1⁄2 cup snow peas, diagonally halved and ends removed (I do this in a V shape)
• 1⁄2 cup red bell pepper, strips (about 1 and 1/2 inches long)
• 1⁄2 cup  small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1⁄4 cup carrot, thinly sliced (adds to presentation if you use a patterned slicer for these)
• 2  tablespoons parsley, minced

• Dressing

• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  grated  orange peel
• 1⁄4 cup  orange juice
• 1⁄4 cup  rice wine vinegar (I've always used rice vinegar as I've never found one labeled rice wine vinegar)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon gingerroot, grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  bottled red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Salad: Stir couscous into boiling water in saucepan.
2. Add 1 tablespoons olive oil.
3. Cover and remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes.
4. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Let cool while preparing other ingredients.
5. Combine couscous with olives and prepared vegetables in salad bowl.
6. Add dressing when about ready to serve.
7. Dressing: Combine orange peel and juice, vinegar, ginger, garlic, red pepper and olive oil in a jar. (can add 1/4 tsp salt if desired).
8. Pour over couscous salad and toss to mix.