Tomato Couscous

Tomato Couscous
serves 4
(recipe found in Good Housekeeping May 2011)

Tomato Couscous

1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), finely chopped
12 oz. green beans, trimmed
1 c. Israeli (pearl) couscous
1 pt. grape tomatoes
1/2 c. pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 c. packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 lemon
2 TBS Champagne vinegar
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed, drained

1. In a small bowl, cover sun-dried tomatoes with hot water. Let stand.

2. Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling on high. Fill large bowl with ice and water. Add green beans to boiling water. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; transfer to ice water. When cool, drain well. Cut into 1-in. pieces.

3. Cook couscous as label directs. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

4. Meanwhile, cut grape tomatoes in half and chop olives and parsley.

5. Into large bowl, from lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel; squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. Stir in vinegar, oil, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper. Drain sun-dried tomatoes well; stir into mixture. Add beans, couscous, grape tomatoes, olives, parsley, and 1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well mixed.

6. Obviously you can see I used edamame beans instead of the green beans...cuz, I accidently ate all the green beans the day before. So I have a bit of an obession with them. I don't know what it is... ANYWAY, I really thought the edamames were great in the mix and would cook it this way again!

Karl's reaction: "Wow! I really like this babe. Nice! Real nice."

My take: This is one of my faves for sure. And I will be making this again.