couscous salad

 It's an easy vegetarian and vegan couscous salad recipe bursting with chickpeas, green onions, tomatoes and cucumbers in a light lemon Dijon dressing topped off with chopped fresh parsley. It's perfect as a side dish to accompany anything you're putting on the grill, or, it makes a nice and light healthy vegetarian lunch.                                             

Ingredients:

• 200g couscous
• 270ml hot vegetable stock
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 340g can sweetcorn, drained
• ¼ cucumber, chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 6 dried apricots, chopped
• 2tbsp olive oil
• Juice ½ lemon
• 3tbsp chopped parsley
• 2tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds

Method:

1. Put the couscous into a large bowl add the stock. Cover and leave to soak for 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables and put them in another bowl with the apricots, add the olive oil and lemon juice, season and mix together.
3. Use a fork to fluff up the couscous then add the vegetable mixture, the chopped parsley and seeds. Toss together and serve.