This salad is a breeze to put together thanks to the convenience of canned lentils. Plus, it's full of delicious textures and flavor with strawberries, couscous, walnuts, and avocado. Dressed with a sweet and tart balsamic vinaigrette, it's the perfect complement to peppery arugula. Smarts: We double the couscous for tomorrow night's dinner.
Make balsamic vinaigrette - Dice shallots. Whisk together shallots, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated)
Cook couscous - This makes enough for 2 nights. Combine water, salt, and butter in a saucepan. Cover and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and cover with lid. Let stand for ~5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Reserve 2 cups / 470mL / 314g of cooked couscous for tomorrow night’s dinner. (Can be done up to 4 days ahead)
You can serve salad like a Cobb Salad by layering lentils, strawberries, avocado, couscous (again, make sure you’ve reserved 2 cups / 470mL / 314g cooked for Tuesday’s dinner), walnuts, and feta over arugula and then drizzle with vinaigrette. You can also toss everything together and then serve. Enjoy!