Couscous, Lentil & Arugula Salad with Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette

The first recipe I'd like to share, I discovered in the recent issue of "Eating Well" magazine. It was quick and easy to make. The first night we had this as a side salad with a simple chicken dish. Then I had it for lunch as a stand alone salad and it was satisfing and delicious.

Couscous, Lentil & Arugula Salad with Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette
From EatingWell Magazine March/April 2009

This hearty combination of whole-wheat couscous and lentils perched atop a lightly dressed bed of arugula makes a tasty vegetarian main-course salad. The lemony vinaigrette is especially good for bringing out the spicy notes of the arugula.

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
4 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup French green lentils or brown lentils, rinsed
4 cups arugula, any tough stems removed, or mixed salad greens
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. To prepare vinaigrette: Combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a blender, a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a medium bowl. Blend, shake or whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

2. To prepare salad: Bring 1 1/4 cups broth (or water) to a boil in a small saucepan. Add couscous, cover, remove from the heat and let stand until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

3. Combine 2 1/2 cups water and lentils in another saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes. (Green lentils will be done sooner than brown lentils.) Be careful not to overcook the lentils or they will fall apart in the salad. Drain any excess water and let cool for about 10 minutes.

4. If arugula leaves are large, tear into bite-size pieces. Toss arugula (or greens) with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl, then divide among 4 large plates. In the same bowl, toss the couscous and lentils with another 1/4 cup vinaigrette; divide the mixture among the plates. Top each salad with cucumber, tomatoes and feta and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining 1 cup vinaigrette for up to 1 week.)

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate the vinaigrette (Step 1) for up to 1 week.

SERVINGS: 4 servings, about 2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 549 calories; 18 g fat (5 g sat, 10 g mono); 17 mg cholesterol; 79 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 15 g fiber; 579 mg sodium; 630 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A & Vitamin C (25% daily value), Iron (20% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Calcium (17% dv). 4 Carbohydrate Servings Exchanges: 5 starch, 2 vegetable, 1/2 medium fat meat, 3 fat