Lemon Corn Couscous Salad

As I listen to Dolly Parton in the kitchen, I can't help think how much I love cooking. And not just any cooking, but healthy dishes and using the freshest ingredients possible. Some days I think I was really meant to live the Southern Belle lifestyle. For now, I'll sip my ice tea, let my peaches ripen (future recipe coming!), and listen to Dolly while I blog. Enjoy the Couscous Salad!

So you should be prepared because this salad is DELICIOUS. I could eat the entire bowl, no joke. The outcome is so fresh, the perfect temperature, and the right amount of zesty lemon. Everything blends so well. I ate this salad all alone for dinner, but you could pair it with some type of leafy salad, or do I dare say, meat? Which ever you choose, this will take the stage, because it's so gosh darn yummy.

Found on pinterest, here's the recipe from the blog Just a Taste. Of course, I'll post below for ease of reading. The major change I made was instead of using quinoa, I used what we had here at home which created a fantastic substitution and one that I will always use: Trader Joe's Harvest Grains blend - a savory blend of Israeli Style Couscous, Orzo, Baby Garbanzo Beans, and Red Quinoa. Highly recommended!

Lemon Corn Couscous Salad:

4 ears corn, shucked 1 can of corn, no salt added (that's what we have in our pantry)1 Tablespoon grated fresh lemon zest
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted
(I used margarine, although if I had butter I would have used it)1 Tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups uncooked quinoa
(Substitute the Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend 1 3/4 cups = half a bag)4 scallions, chopped
(I used 5 green onions thinly chopped/sliced)

Directions:
1. Heat entire contents from can of corn in a small pot on stove top over medium heat (enough to heat all the way through).

2. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3. Rinse the uncooked grains in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. (I read this as rinse after the grains were cooked, as long as it gets rinsed at some point, you're fine!)

4. Cook the grains according to package directions.

5. Add the grains, drained corn, and chopped scallions to the bowl with the dressing and toss until it's evenly coated.

6. You're going to love this salad as much as I do, the entire combination screams summertime! Enjoy!

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