Black Bean, Rice, and Corn Salad

Sweet and sour, this salad is a perfect side dish on a hot summer day.

yield: 8 1/3-cup servings

1 cup water
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 cup rice
6 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (or 2 ears worth)
1/2 tsp sugar

1. Combine 1 cup water and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add rice to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
2. Combine remaining 1/2 tsp salt, lime juice, oil, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Add rice and beans; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes or until completely cool. Stir in corn and sugar.

Couscous Chicken Salad

A light, garlicky summer dish that's quite satisfying. Perfect for hot, summer days.

yield: 8 1-cup servings

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 10-oz package couscous
1 cup fresh basil (I used purple), chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2/3 cup sliced green onions
1 15.5-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken. Cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pot. Add couscous, remove from heat. Cover, let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
2. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add basil, oil, vinegar, pepper, and garlic to couscous. Stir to combine. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, onions, and beans. Let cool in refrigerator for 2 hours.

***Note: If you live in Turkey, do NOT use the "cheap" couscous to make this. Splurge and buy the real stuff, don't waste your time with the "couscous" that's actually more like small alphabet pasta. It does NOT taste as good and does not work as well.***