Couscous with a Mediterranean Flair

"Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always

beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may

alight upon you."

-- Nathaniel Hawthorne 

1804-1864

American novelist and short story writer

Author of novel Scarlet Letter

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Couscous with a Mediterranean Flair

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 box of lemon and garlic couscous
• 1/2 jar of black olives, drained and diced 
• 3/4 cup mixed green and red peppers
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 medium cucumber diced or sweet vidalia  onion
• 1 cup cherry diced tomatoes
• 2 TB. olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

• Saute in olive oil onions and garlic about 5 minutes till soft 
• Prepare couscous according to box directions but adding in onion and garlic mixture
• Remove from heat and let set 5 minutes then fluff with a fork and add in peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes feta cheese and olives
• Add prepared Greek vinaigrette dressing by the tablespoons till desired moistness (I used Girard's Greek Feta Vinaigrette and it added a great flavor to this salad)     

Serving Suggestions: Refrigerate salad till chilled

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I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge today is the birthday of one of the 20th century's leading humanitarians Helen Keller 

1880-1968

Helen Keller often said that her motivation for activism throughout her life came from having to overcome her blindness disability.  She was a champion of causes and along the way even became a bit of a radical activist. Keller advocated for women's suffrage and helped founded the American Civil Liberties Union. She joined the Socialist Party of Massachusetts from 1909-1921 and then joined The Industrial Workers of the World. She devoted much of her later life to raising funds for American Foundation for the Blind. In her lifetime she was a popular lecturer sharing her stories and advocating for others with disabilities. President Johnson awarded  her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

I enjoyed this quote from her

No one has ever given me a good reason

why we should obey unjust laws.

One certainly can admire this woman who displayed such a bold feminist spirit!