Food so nice, they named it twice?

Lets talk Couscous.  Delicious stuff it is.  I have only been aware of it for the last 10 or so years.  I love it.  It's a nice change in the boring side dish world and it takes on flavors very well.  It's the rice of the pasta world...yes it is a pasta!

Couscous is a traditional dish of semolina (granules of durum wheat) which is cooked by steaming. It is traditionally served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it. Couscous is a staple food throughout the North African cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Libya and the Western Sahara. Couscous served with fish is also a staple food in Western Sicily, and is featured as a traditional food product officially recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies. Properly cooked couscous is light and fluffy, not gummy or gritty.

 Near East makes a great instant product if you are in a hurry.  If you are watching sodium like I am, you are better off to get your own and prepare it with your own seasonings. It's good hot with butter and Parmesan cheese.  It's good cold in a salad.   It pairs well with last weeks kabobs, chicken, shrimp, scallops, or just about any protein.

Goes great as a side with Tex Mex dishes.  Add chicken or shredded pork to make it a meal. 

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup frozen white corn kernels, thawed. Use fresh if in season.
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. 
2. Cover the pot and remove from heat. 
3. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
5. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. 
6. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. 
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

 This one is a great light lunch or dinner.

 Couscous Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups dry couscous
• 2/3 cup pecan pieces
• ½ cup packed dried apricots, chopped
• 2/3 cup Craisins
• ¼ cup white raisins
• 1 lb cooked chicken breast chunked or shreaded
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced with greens
• 1 pinch Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Prepare couscous according to package directions.
2. Let cool
3. Break apart large chunks
4. Combine all ingredients; toss. 
5. Serve at chilled.

Couscous Fritters

Ingredients 

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 cup hot chicken or vegetable stock for flavor or water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 green onions, finally chopped
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

Directions

1. Measure the couscous into a large heatproof bowl
2. Pour hot stock over the couscous
3. Then cover with cling wrap
4. Leave to stand for 5 minutes or until the couscous has absorbed the stock and is soft
5. Add the egg
6. Season
7. fold through the cheese and spring onions
8. Divide the mixture into 4 burgers
9. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan
10. Cook the fritters over a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side until golden
11. Serve with a green salad or as a great side

I make no excuses...only delicious food

I think about giving up on this blog but then I always come back. I like to cook, I like to write, and I love to eat...this just makes sense.  I guess the egotistical side of me needs gratification of knowing someone is reading thing besides my Mom.  (Hi Mom!)

The significant other and I are dieting or having a lifestyle change or what ever you want to call it. It all boils down to we are trying to loose weight and eat cleaner food.  The thing is...my body seems to crave all that bad, processed food, and sugary drinks.  So far I am down 22 pounds since December 13, 2013.  We are using this great app/website called: MyFitnessPal. It really helps a lot and makes me think about what I eat and drink.   I was drinking so many calories and didn't realize it.

As for eating...we have come across this killer warm salad dressing to have on a spinach salad.  A serving of the salad with two servings of the dressing is about 300 calories. It tastes delightfully bad while being good for you.  We like to add some protein to it  in the form of some lean steak.  I'm sure it would be rocking with chicken or shrimp as well. It also goes great as a side with pasta dishes.  It's so good I could seriously eat this every night.  Original recipe called for blue cheese...feel free to use that if you like...I dislike blue cheese so asiago for me.  It also called for lettuce.  I'm not a fan of wilted lettuce so enter spinach.

Warm Maple Bacon Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 strips of Bacon, cooked, crumbled and bacon fat reserved
• 1/3 cup Real Maple Syrup
• 3 tablespoons Country Dijon Mustard
• 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Shallot, finely diced
• 1 package of fresh spinach
• 1 small Honeycrisp Apple, sliced
• 1/4 cup Pecan Halves
• 1/4 cup Asiago Cheese, or more to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper into a small bowl or jar and set aside.
2. Toss together the spinach, sliced apples, pecans, cheese, and crumbled bacon.
3. Reheat the bacon fat over medium/ medium-high heat.
4. Sauté diced shallot until softened. 
5. While whisking, gradually add in the jar of maple/mustard mixture. 
6. Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
7. Plate up the salads and serve the warm maple bacon dressing drizzled over the top.

I also take no credit for making this recipe other than eating its delicious goodness...the significant other is the one that totally makes it.