Orange Couscous Salad

I just spent the weekend in Michigan, and my healthy-eating friend Jen introduced me to Cottage Living magazine (a great new source for decorating inspiration), and therefore this healthy and really tasty recipe. I substituted Quinoa instead of couscous (PS - does anyone have any info on quinoa? As far as I can tell it's a low-carb, protein-packed grain, but it tasted so good I'm afraid I'm fooling myself), and added pine nuts and shaved zucchini to the recipe. Yum!

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) box plain couscous (I used 1 cup uncooked quinoa, and followed the directions on the package) 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste 
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste 
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup) 
2 oranges 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 1 cup) 
1 cup golden raisins, currants, or chopped dates 

Preparation

1. Pour couscous into a large bowl, and stir in 1 cup boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap, and let steam 5 minutes or until couscous is tender. Fluff with a fork, and stir in oil and next 3 ingredients. Let cool slightly.

2. Zest both oranges; juice one. Peel second orange, and chop. Add zest, juice, and chopped orange to couscous mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour or up to 2 days. Add more oil, salt, or pepper if desired before serving.

Yield

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Kim Sunée , Cottage Living, JANUARY 2008