Taverna 750 Grain Salad

This weekend I went to Taverna 750 with some friends for dinner. It's a tasty, modern, small-plate restaurant with an incredible cocktail list. Their menu changes quite frequently and while they don't usually have vegan-specific items they are super vegan-accommodating. To the point that this time when I was there the chef offered to make me a special dish! He modified one that they have on their Restaurant Week menu and my friends and I enjoyed it so much that I was inspired to turn it into my lunch salad for the week. If you're in the Chicago area, I definitely recommend Taverna 750 - and check out their original salad during Restaurant Week if you can!

Taverna 750 Grain Salad (makes 5 servings)

1 1/4 cups Israeli couscous, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 lb. haricots verts
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup hemp seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
Large splash white vinegar
Large splash balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste (use pink Himalyan or sea salt if you have it)

Start cooking the couscous. Then blanch and shock the asparagus and green beans (not sure how? Check out this recipe for instructions).

Chop the tomatoes and add to a large bowl along with the chick peas and hemp seeds. Chop the asparagus and green beans into 1/2" pieces and add, along with the cooled couscous.

Toss with the dressing ingredients and serve.