CHICKPEA AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

This bright and easy salad makes a nice lunch, with color and crunch.

It’s cost-effective to buy a whole pomegranate and harvest its seeds, instead of buying the seeds separately. We like to cut the fruit horizontally in half, and, working with one half at a time, hold it in hand cut side down over a bowl of water in the sink. Use a wooden spoon to whack the skin hard enough that you can feel the seeds falling out, through your fingers and into the water. (Any white pith that also falls will float to the top, to be easily discarded.)

The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

1 cup plain, instant

couscous

1 cup boiling water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly

ground black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 to 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

One 14-ounce can nosalt-added chickpeas (about 1 3/4 cups), drained and rinsed 1 cup pomegranate seeds (arils; from 1 fresh pomegranate)

1/2 cup chopped fresh

mint

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine the couscous, boiling water and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt

and pepper in a large bowl. Stir and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let sit for 10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, whisk together the garlic, pomegranate molasses (to taste), lemon juice and oil in a liquid measuring cup to form an emulsified dressing.

When ready to serve, add the chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, mint, parsley and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the couscous, then pour the dressing over and toss to incorporate. Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from the Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe in Arlington, Virginia.

Per serving (based on 6): 310 calories, 10 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 7 g dietary fiber, 10 g sugar