Sweet and Spicy Couscous Salad

This salad isn't a dish that appeals to everyone. It has a unique combination of ingredients and spices that creates a taste unlike anything else I have ever tried. It's light tasting and full of healthy fruits and nuts.

Chopper and I both like it, but Lonnie and the Sasquatch do not...so I don't make it very often.
When making this it's better to stick with the recipe closely - I have tried in the past just eyeballing instead of measuring and didn't get as good of results.

Sweet and Spicy Couscous Salad
2 cups chicken stock ( I use chicken base paste dissolved min water)
1 1/2 cups instant couscous
1 cup sliced grapes
1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 sliced green onions
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium pan. Remove pan from heat and stir in dry couscous, cover and let stand until cool...then fluff with a fork into a large bowl.

Add grapes, almonds, apricots, and green onions. 

Prepare the dressing in a separate bowl... whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, black pepper, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Pour dressing over couscous mixture...

... and toss gently until thoroughly mixed

We had this for Sunday dinner with grilled hamburgers and cheeseburgers, Bush's baked beans with added onions and ham bits, spicy baked sweet potato fries and store bought onion rings. 

Yes, that's a lot of burgers. I like to have enough to send a few leftovers home with my bachelor sons every week!

Later, we had "Nutritious Cookies".  

I guess they are named that because they have oatmeal, walnuts and peanut butter in them...but I'm pretty sure there are other not-so-nutritious ingredients in there too!