Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking couscous
2 1/4 cups water (check the box to make sure of the amount)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Big pinch of salt
3 or 4 medium scallions, sliced thin across the fat part
2 medium carrots, peeled and then grated
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, seeds scraped out and diced
1/4 cup each diced red and yellow bell peppers
1/2 cup corn

Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
1 small clove of garlic, crushed through a press
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Equipment needed: teakettle, vegetable peeler, garlic press, small knife, measuring cup, jar and lid

1. Place the couscous in a large bowl. Now you need to boil the water, so talk with an adult about who should do what. When the water has come to a boil, take it off the stove and slowly pour it into the bowl. (A teakettle is great for boiling the water in). Add the 2 tablespoons of oil and salt, then gently stir with a spoon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a pan lid, a plate, or even a clean dish towel and leave for 5 minutes. It's fun to do this in a glass bowl, so you can watch it work. After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl, stir gently to fluff it up, and let it cool while you make the rest of the salad.

2. Cut off the ends of the carrots with a small, sharp knife then peel the carrots with a vegetable peeler. Shred the carrots with a grater. Be careful not to cut yourself like some of your adult friends have done. Peel the cucumber with a vegetable peeler and cut it in half the long way. Take a teaspoon and scrape out the seeds, then cut the cucumber with a small, sharp knife into long strips about 1/4-inch thick. Now dice the long strips into 1/4-inch squares. Cut around the stems of the peppers, and pull out the stems. Cut the peppers in half and scrape out all the seeds. Cut the peppers into slices the long way about 1/4-inch thick, then dice them across, just like you did the cucumbers.

3. Make the dressing: Peel the clove of garlic and squeeze it through the garlic press. Put all of the dressing ingredients into a jar, put the lid on tightly, and shake.

4. Add the vegetables to the couscous in the bowl, pour on the dressing and stir.