Make ahead note:

Salad can be made the day ahead and refrigerated. Allow it to lose its chill before serving. Have had this left over the third day and it still is delicious!

The recipe serves 4 as an entrée, 8 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• 10oz of couscous
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 12 baby carrots sliced lengthwise
• 2 small zucchini cut into 1/4 “ slices
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup pistachio nuts, unsalted
• 1/2 red pepper diced
• 1/2 yellow pepper diced
• 8 grape tomatoes diced
• 2-3 cups water or chicken stock, just ready to boil.
• 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tea ground cinnamon
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup oil combined of olive, safflower and grape

Heat 2 Tbl olive oil in pan and cook onion until translucent. Add carrots and peppers. Cook until they just soften and add the zucchini. As you stir add the raisins, nuts and cinnamon. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add the couscous and stir until just coated with the oil. Add more olive oil if necessary. Stir in the hot liquid. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Break up couscous and you put it in the serving bowl. Make vinaigrette of the vinegar and oil and pour into the couscous until just moistened. Save the remaining and put it on the couscous before serving if it seems dry. But the salad should not feel “wet”.

Serves 8