South of the Border Couscous Salad

I am such an f-ing VT slut.

I'm all, I HATE YOU, VT! You're a sonofabitch and I don't want to get wit' you no more! and then 5 minutes later I'm like Oh, VT, oh do it to me dirty like that again! Oh yes, VT! Yes yes!

Yeah, what can I say: yet another tasty recipe from the magazine I love to hate to love.

'Cept I used tri-colored couscous instead of wheat. Take THAT, VT! OH SNAP!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 t. ground cumin


• 1/2 t. salt


• 1 c. uncooked whole-wheat couscous (or tri-colored)


• 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed


• 1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels


• 1/2 c. chopped red onion


• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped


• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, optional


• 3 T. fresh lime juice


• 1 T. roasted garlic–flavored olive oil (I used 1 T. olive oil + two minced cloves of garlic--slabaaam! VT tends to over-oil stuff, in my humble opinion)

DIRECTIONS

Combine 1 1/2 cups water, cumin, couscous, and salt in your Rice Cooker and cook it until Rice Cooker says it's done (Rice Cooker is all-knowing, like heavenly Jeebus).* Transfer to medium bowl, fluff with fork, and let cool to room temperature.

Fold beans, corn, onion, cilantro and jalapeño, if desired, into couscous. Stir in lime juice and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add more lime juice, if desired.

*Alternately, you can combine the water, cumin, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil--then just add couscous, stir, and return to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. (If you're one of those stank-ass rice-cookerless motherf-ers, that is.)

(Original recipe from the Vegetarian Times)