Recipe: Moroccan Lentil Salad w/ Cauliflower Couscous

It’s warming up and cool salads sound so refreshing right now! Bryan & Megan purchased Run Fast. Eat Slow. over the Boston Marathon weekend (and got to meet Shalane for a book signing!) and already put a recipe to test. They substituted couscous for riced cauliflower.

 

Here’s the recipe from Run Fast. Eat Slow.
Moroccan Lentil Salad w/ Cauliflower Couscous
Time to create: 45 minutes; Serves six

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous, cooked according to package directions (saute pureed cauliflower in olive oil for 3 minutes to substitute couscous)
1 cup dried green lentils, sorted and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 medium-size carrots, peeled, grated
2 cups loosely packed chopped kale
1/2 cup toasted pistachios or almonds, chopped
1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots, chopped
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, chopped
1 tablespoon Ras el Hanout (Moroccan spice blend)

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 small shallot, minced

To cook the lentils and couscous: Place the lentils in a medium pot, add the salt, and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat then turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender but not mushy, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Cook the couscous in a separate pot according to package directions. Fluff and set aside to cool.

To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup and shallot. Set aside.

To assemble the salad: Place the carrots, kale, nuts, apricots, olives and Ras el Hanout in a large salad bowl. Add the cooked couscous and lentils and toss until evenly combined. Add the dressing and toss again. Taste and, if needed, add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and another drizzle of olive oil. Cover the salad and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.