Tomatoey Spinach and Couscous Bake

Found this recipe on a new blog that I've recently discovered called The Naked Kitchen.  I was going to make it just the way the recipe called for but it had some specialty ingredients that I didn't have, a few steps I thought unnecessary and I thought it could use some mushrooms.  So ... here is my version.  

Ingredients:

1&1/4 cups dry whole wheat couscous

2 cups water

Panko Breadcrumbs (I didn't measure but I'd say it was less than 1/4 of a cup)

5 cups raw baby spinach leaves, (I roughly chopped mine but that's personal preference)

2 cans (400g each) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

olive oil, for sauteing 

fresh oregano, basil and parsley ... a handful or so of each, washed and chopped

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

salt, a couple of pinches

3 sliced mushrooms ... unless your kids love 'em and then you can use more.  (mushrooms are the one thing that both of our kids despise and I often, but not always, take pity on them and do half with, half without ... tonight was one of the times I decided to go half and half.)

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C 

Saute onions and garlic in a blub of olive oil til onions are soft and beginning to be see through. Add cans of tomatoes, juice and all.  Add herbs.  Cook maybe 8 - 10 minutes, til sauce has reduced and thickened just a little bit.  Add spinach and stir through sauce ... remove from heat.  This is just to get the spinach to wilt a little bit. 

While the onions and garlic are sauteing, put the water in a separate pot over high heat and bring to the boil.  Add couscous and a pinch of salt, give the pot a little shake to stir it, cover and remove from heat.  Let sit a few minutes, fluff with a fork and set aside.  

Mix couscous and tomato mixture together in a baking dish.  Lay mushroom slices flat (if using).  Top with cheese and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Bake uncovered 25 minutes (or til cheese is melted and starting to brown).  Serve hot.

A Nutty Cous Cous

I've been wanting to use the pistachio dukkah that I made the other day but we've been trying to eat lower calorie meals.  Sitting down to a bowl of dukkah, olive oil and turkish bread doesn't really qualify.  Then I saw this recipe over on Taste, I had to try it !  It is so yum.  I love the flavor that comes through from the dukkah !  And the subtle hint of lemon ....

**This is way too much couscous for our family.  After making it a few times and eventually throwing away leftovers, I decided to come put a note in here ... Next time I make it, I will halve the stock and couscous.  I will keep the same proportions of everything else.

4.5 cups chicken stock
500g couscous, I used whole wheat
2 lemons, halved
100g slivered almonds, toasted
2 tbs pistachio dukkah
a handful of parsley, I used flat leaf, chopped

Bring the chicken stock to the boil.  Add cous cous.  Cover and remove from heat.  The liquid will absorb in about 5 minutes.  Gently stir with a fork to separate the grains.

Cook lemon on grill (or in fry pan like I did last night when it was pouring down rain !) for 2 minutes each side or until charred.

Put cous cous in a large serving bowl.  Add the almonds, dukkah and parsley to the couscous and stir. Squeeze lemon on top.  Serve.

(just for our records ... this serves 8 and is 205 calories per serve)

Just {A} photo ...

Bonnie cooks Jill's cous cous.

And likes it !

Mexican Cous Cous

I made this up.
It was delicious.

I'll make it again ... on purpose next time !

Whatcha Need :

1 carrot, shredded
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, roughly crushed and chopped
1 cob of corn ... corn cut off, cob disposed of
1/2 a tomato that has been sittin' in the fridge needing to be used, chopped
3/4 jar of medium salsa (again ... needing to be used !)
1 can of black beans, drained
1 and 1/4 cup veg stock
1 cup cous cous
Salt and Pepper

Whatcha Do :

Using your favorite big cast iron skillet, on a med/high heat ... sautee carrot, onion, garlic, corn and tomato (seasoned with S & P) til done to your liking. Add black beans. Move all this stuff to the outter edges of the pan and pour in the veg stock. Bring to the boil ... it takes like 30 seconds to get there ! Add the cous cous. Stir everything together. Cover. Cook for a few minutes then add the salsa. Stir it all together again and just let the juices cook off. Again ...doesn't take long.

I served it with a dollop of greek yoghurt and steamed asparagus !

YUM !!

{Couscous Stuffed Peppers Photo}

The recipe for these beauties is here.
I can attest to their extreme deliciousness!

Couscous-stuffed Peppers

4 bell peppers (any color)
1 T vegetable oil
1 medium zucchini, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
2 c cooked couscous
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained
1 tomato, chopped (small pieces)
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
3/4-1 c crumbled feta cheese

Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove stems, seeds, and membranes. (May parboil for 5 minutes if desired--I omit this step as I prefer the pepper a bit crunchy.)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and garlic and saute 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Place pepper halfs cut side up in lightly greased shallow baking dish. Fill each pepper half with couscous mixture. (Any extra filling can be put around peppers in dish.)

Bake 20 minutes, until filling is heated through.

Recipe adapted from Reader's Digest.

Zucchini Ankara

My dear friend Kim prepared this one day when we were visiting, and I LOVED it! It is really simple to prepare and so good for you!

Zucchini Ankara

2 cups chopped onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 zucchini or yellow squash, cut into half-moons about 1/2 inch thick
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 cup cooked, drained, garbanzo beans
1/2 cup sliced pitted black olives, preferably salty Greek ones
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
juice of a lemon
salt
black pepper
5 ounces feta cheese

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent.
Add the squash and marjoram and cook on medium heat, stirring often,
until the squash is just tender. If the squash hasn't released enough
liquid to simmer in, add 1/4 cup of water. This should be a juicy
dish. Add the beans, cumin or mint, lemon, and seasonings.
Remember that if the feta that will be added later is quite salty, little
or no salt will be needed in the vegetables themselves. Continue
cooking until everything is thoroughly heated. The squash should
not become overly soft.

Adjust lemon and herbs to taste, and ladle the vegetables over rice
or couscous. Top with grated feta and serve immediately.

We'll try *THIS* variation next time.

Foods of the World - Couscous

I cannot believe I've never posted this baby, it is sooooooo good! Plus, I have a wild passion for couscous. Obviously, I was already planning to make this, but I'm going to post this as my month's contribution to the World Foods thing. Sadly, there will be no pictures, until and unless someone wants to buy me a camera!

Chicken Cous Cous (I'm gonna go ahead and say it's from Morocco)

4 chicken drumsticks, skinned
4 chicken thighs or breasts, skinned
Lime sauce (recipe follows)
2 T olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth, warmed
2 T lime juice
3 carrots, sliced across (I frequently use a handful of baby carrots)
1 15oz. can garbanzo beans/chickpeas
1 14oz. jar artichoke hearts, drained
Couscous (cooked according to the directions on the box)

Spread lime sauce over chicken and set aside about 15 min. In large Dutch oven (I just use a regular stick skillet), heat oil to med. high temperature. Add chicken and cook about 5 min. Turn chicken; add onion and garlic stirring as chicken continues to brown, about 5 min. Pour chicken broth and lime juice over chicken; stir to loosen pan drippings. Add carrots and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is tender, about 20 min. Bring back to a boil, stir in garbanzo beans and gently place artichoke hearts across the top. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 min. more. With slotted spoon, remove chicken and vegetables to warm serving bowl. Skim off any fat in pan, boil juices about 5 min and pour into gravy boat with spout (I usually skip this part unless I'm cooking for company).
To serve, mound couscous, top with chicken and vegetables and pour juice over all. (I find it particularly yummy to sprinkle a little cayenne pepper over the top)

Makes 4 servings

Lime Sauce:
In small bowl, mix together 1 T fresh lime juice, 1 t coriander, 1 t salt and 1/2 t each of ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and pepper.

Couscous with Chicken, Spinach and Mushrooms

I have an intense love affair with couscous. And this is very yummy. If you aren't full at the end of the meal, drink a little water and you will be!


1 T olive oil
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced (obviously we put in about half a bulb...one clove! HA)
1- 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach (or 1 1/2 cups firmly pressed fresh)
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 sliced fresh mushrooms
2 T dry white wine or lemon juice (I think we use lemon juice since we never have dry white wine on hand)
1 package couscous (about 1 1/2 cups, if you don't use a flavored kind, substitute chicken broth for the water)
Grated parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, heat oil, add chicken, onion and garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
Stir in spinach, water, mushrooms, wine and bring to a boil.
Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes; fluff couscous lightly with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 4 servings (300 calories per serving)