Guest Recipe: Cilantro Chick Peas Couscous Salad

The ladies of FitApproach, the Sweat Pink Ambassadors, had a great idea to do a Blog Swap. I got paired up with Yaitza Bueno of a healthier fitter ME. What I didn’t expect was such an amazing recipe with beautiful pictures! Without any further adue, let me introduce…Yaitza!

Happy to be guest posting for a fellow Sweatpink & Fitfluential Ambassador today! My name is Yaitza Bueno and I’m the blogger behind a healthier fitter ME! I blog about my journey with health & fitness with a little personal life stuff on top. I am a big-time foodie therefore when experimenting in the kitchen my goal is to come out with a healthy but delicious meal my family will enjoy.

I am originally from Puerto Rico however; one of my favorite foods in the entire world is anything Mediterranean. I make this salad all of the time! It is a simple but delicious combination. Definitely a favorite at our house!

Cilantro Chick Peas Couscous Salad

For salad assembly:
2 cups of coocked couscous
15 oz of roasted chick peas
1 diced small cucumber
1/4 cup of diced cilantro leaves
1/4 of a finely diced purple onion
1/4 cup of soy beans
and dressing below

If you have never cooked couscous before, all you need are 2 cups of boiling water per a 10 oz package. Let the water boil, and remove from heat. Add in couscous and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork before adding it to the salad.

To roast your chickpeas…
15 oz of drained and dry chickpeas
1 t. of cumin
1 t. of pepper
a pinch of salt

Place your chickpeas into a baking tray. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

For your dressing:
the zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 pitted purple plum
1/4 cup of raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbs. of honey
a hand full of cilantro leaves (about 1/4 cup)

salt and pepper to taste

In a blender combine all of the above ingredients and blend for 2 minutes. Refrigerate or set aside.