Israeli Couscous with Veggies

Thursdays are starting to become my cooking night with Archana :). We try to keep it healthy and easy and here’s another recipe we stumbled upon using Israeli couscous. I don’t think I ever had this type of couscous before — I’ve only tried the tiny, grainy type. It’s a bit carb-ey but is a good source of protein and fiber, and paired with the right seasoning and veggies as you’ll see here, is absolutely delicious.

We got the recipe from Epicurious but had to make some alterations to the proportions. I’ll give you the recipe we used, which feeds 4.

What you need:
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* 1/2 cup vegetable broth (canned or bouillon)
* 4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (we used roma tomatoes)
* Salt, to taste
* Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 1 1/3 cup cooked Israeli couscous*
* 1 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 3-4 tbs goat cheese

What to do:

1. Place the oil in a large saucepan. Cook the onion, zucchini, and garlic for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring until tender.

2. In the mean time, in another saucepan or pot, put 2 tbs of oil and warm. Add the couscous and stir until lightly brown. Then add 1 1/2 cups of water and heat to a boil. Stir until the water evaporates and it’s warm. Set aside.

3. To the veggie saucepan, add broth; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute more, stirring.

4. Now add the couscous, basil, and parsley. Stir well, adjust the seasonings and heat through.

5. After placing on a plate, top it with a tbs of goat cheese.

The original recipe didn’t have goat cheese in it, but it tastes heavenly with that small addition.

x
Shy