Spinach Couscous Salad

While the photo shows that this salad is a big mess, it is really a great mix of textures. This salad has a lot of versatility - you can add almost anything you want. You can use any different type of cheese or no cheese at all. You can add any veggies or herb you want. This just happens to be the mix I made tonight. I grill the peppers and onions over the stove on a chili roaster that fits over one of my burners. It was a Christmas present, and when I opened it I seriously thought, "What the heck? When am I ever going to use this?" Truth is I use it at least 3 or 4 times a week. No joke. I don't use it just for chilies (actually, I have never used it for a chili), I grill onions, bell peppers, garlic, onions, eggplant, etc. I highly recommend if you have to buy a present for someone you don't know what to get, and you know they like kitchen stuff, buy them a chili roaster. Oh yeah, back to the salad... Here's the recipe:

Spinach Couscous Salad

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup couscous
garlic granules to taste
dried herbs (oregano, thyme, etc) to taste
salt and pepper to taste
red chili flakes to taste
5 mini bell peppers, tops removed
2 slices onion
1 tomato, chopped
3 TBSP chopped olives
about 1 TBSP red wine vinegar
about 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups spinach, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese

Add water to a medium sized, microwaveable bowl. Microwave until boiling. Add couscous, garlic granules, dried herbs, salt and pepper, and chili flakes. Stir to mix. Set aside.

Grill peppers and onion. Allow to cool enough to touch and then chop.

Fluff couscous, add chopped, grilled peppers and onions, tomato, olives, spinach, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and feta cheese. Toss to mix completely.