Couscous and a Physics Lesson

Cooking Adventure: Couscous Confetti Salad

Source: Nutrition MD

The Bellydance Soundtrack: Disco Arab by Bayhas
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'll never go vegan, but I will gladly mooch off their recipes. Today starts the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart from the PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine). In slapdash Internet tradition I signed up for their three week email plan with the best fake name I could muster:Miss Marla J. Fluffnstuff, and skipped out to go grocery shopping.

The result of this impromptu trip was, of course, the couscous salad, but also a real-life version of The Incredible Machine. For you who may not have been around yet or had the optimal amount of geekiness, The Incredible Machine was a PC game that encouraged its players to build their own machine by clicking and dragging on the available parts. The player had to use things like see-saws, pipes, candles, rockets, mice on running wheels and other strange, cartoony items to make a basketball go through a hoop, a cat eat a mouse, etc. And it was sweet! But I digress.

The point was: I really should have thought of this game before I decided to cleanse the kitchen with the element of fire by lighting a candle in my copper cauldron hanging 6 inches from my cabinet by a plastic and metal hook. Several minutes later as I was chopping onions I heard the inevitable clang as the cauldron hit the counter. Yes, physics had worked its own magick, and had led the heat from the flame to melt the plastic holding the hook in place. Um... it might have also melded some of the plastic to the underside of the counter.

There's a reason I wasn't born under a fire sign.

Thanks to Chronicles of a Dairyland Vegan for the meal plan tip!

Ingredients: 
1.5 cups dry whole-wheat couscous
2 cups boiling water
3-4 green onions, finely chopped, including tops
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 carrot, grated
1-2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots

1 juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons salt

1. In a large bowl, combine couscous and boiling water. Stir to mix, then cover and let stand until all the water has been absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Add green onions, bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, parsley, and raisins or apricots.
3. In a small bowl mix lemon juice, vinegar, oil, curry powder, and salt. Add to salad and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature or chilled.