Mediterranean Couscous with Mint

I love mint and couldn't resist buying the tiny, fragrant little bundle I found at the farmers' market this week. Everything about mint appeals to me, the smell, obviously, but I also love the way it looks. This was very young mint, with tiny dainty leaves.

But what to make? I realized that I really haven't made much of mint, except English mint sauce. So I started researching mint recipes and found this one for Minted Mediterranean Couscous Salad at Epicurious.com. This was a winner for me as I had a package of Pinenut Couscous on my list of staples to use and also had a red pepper that needed using.

The resulting salad was absolutely delicious! I associate mint with sweet recipes and I'm always a little anxious about savory recipes but here the mint flavor is very mild and really heightens the feta and pepper. And this is a snap to make - 10 minutes top. This would be a great pot luck or picnic dish - it really doesn't get any easier than this for an awesome result.

My adjustments:

I used a dressing of lemon olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of the bottled dressing listed in the recipe (fab!)

I used sliced tinned olives and chopped them

I used about 1 cup of feta cheese (twice the amount the recipe called for)

I used pinenut couscous instead of plain and added about 1/4 cup of pinenuts

I served the couscous with Trader Joe's Lavosh crackers, Meza Hummus, and a spinach salad.