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Tag: whole wheat couscous

Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower and Dill

The roast chicken from yesterday was served on this yummy concoction..

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole wheat couscous
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a small pan and add the broth and salt. Bring to boil, add the couscous, cover with lid and turn the heat off. Let it sit for 10 minutes, take lid off and fluff with a fork. Keep aside.

  • 1 small cauliflower head (I used a broccoflower), cut into florets
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt

Place the florets on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Mix well and roast in a 400 degrees oven for 30 minutes. Take out and keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/3 cup currants
  • ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • Salt

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the green onions and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the currants, roasted cauliflower and cooked couscous. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until everything is incorporated and heated through. Check for seasonings and add salt if necessary. Garnish with dill and serve.

 

Moroccan Style Chicken with Vegetable Couscous

I love, love harissa- it is a Moroccan style sauce with lots of flavor including some spice and sweet red peppers. It is a great way to infuse loads of flavor if roasting or grilling meats, poultry or seafood…

  • 4 to 6 chicken thighs, bone in with skin on
  • 2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 preserved lemon, chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Mix the harissa, oil, preserved lemon and salt in a small bowl and marinate the chicken with the mixture for 2 to 3 hours.

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch squares
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped into 1 inch squares
  • Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat a large frying pan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces on high heat with skin side down- approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Take the chicken out and add the chopped vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well and turn the heat off. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables and roast in oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till chicken is cooked through. Take the chicken pieces out onto a platter and cover to keep warm. Take the vegetables out and chop roughly and keep aside. Take all the liquid out of the frying pan and separate the fat and keep aside. Use the remaining liquid for the chicken before serving- it’s full of yummy flavor!

Couscous

  • 2 remaining fat from the frying pan
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon harissa
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat couscous
  • Salt
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped

Reheat the same frying pan with the fat and olive oil. Add the chopped vegetables and the harissa. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Cover with lid and turn heat off and let the pan sit for 10 minutes. Take lid off and fluff couscous with fork. Garnish with cilantro and mint. Serve warm with chicken on top and a drizzle of the chicken liquid!

 

Chicken with Chorizo on Raisin and Pine Nut Couscous

I have to say, this is one of my favorite, recent recipes I have come up with. I am not sure what inspired me- but I am sure I was either reading or watching something or someone cook a dish with chorizo or chicken. As I have mentioned many times before, I love Latin flavors including ancho chili powder. My other favorite ingredient is chorizo. If I could, I would eat chorizo everyday- but the reality is that it is high in fat and calories… so, it is perfect to use as a flavor enhancer and not as the main protein.  I also used chicken thighs but one can use chicken breast and make the dish healthier.

The chicken and chorizo are cooked like a stew in a mixture of chicken broth and orange juice. This fall/winter, I have been using loads of fresh oranges and orange juice. I love the sweet and savory the fruit imparts in all dishes.

I served the stew with a quick raisin and pine nut couscous. I like to use whole wheat couscous to incorporate more whole grains into our diets. I also served a yummy salad .. coming up tomorrow.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless, bone in
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 cup fresh chorizo, casings off (about 2 to 3 large links) crumbled
  • 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Juice of 2 Clementines
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Add the flour, salt and pepper in a wide platter. Dredge the chicken lightly in the flour. Heat a large saucepan with the oil and brown the chicken pieces on both sides for 2 minutes each. Take out and keep aside. Reheat the oil and add the chorizo. Saute on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken, orange juice, chicken broth and ancho chili powder. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and increase the heat to high. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and add salt and garnish with cilantro.

Couscous with Raisins and Pine Nuts

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole wheat couscous

Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the raisins and pine nuts and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Place the lid and turn the heat off. Let stand for fifteen minutes and fluff with a fork. Serve with the chicken.

Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower

Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower I made this couscous dish with grilled chicken. I added some roasted cauliflower and tomatoes to the quick cooking starch. I drizzled some olive oil on the cauliflower and tomatoes and I cooked them in oven until the florets were golden brown and the tomatoes soft.

Making the couscous is super simple. I make mine with chicken broth and buy the whole wheat variety from Trader Joes.

The rest was simple, I added the veggies to the cooked couscous. I made extra for the next day… I served the delicious side dish with the fish with romesco sauce. It was a delicious combination…
read more …

Cherry and Walnut Couscous Served with Lamb Chops

Cherry and Walnut Coucous This is one of those meals that look really complicated but are super easy to make. One of the things I did with this particular dish- I bought the lamb chops frozen and already marinated. I usually never buy prepared proteins but these lamb chops are amazing and they are from my favorite store- Trader Joes.

I always have some on hand in the freezer. They are great to take out when you don’t have any plans for dinner and don’t have a lot of time. I served the chops with couscous. I always have whole-wheat couscous in my pantry. I cooked some with chicken broth and I added walnuts and dried cherries to it. I thought of serving a salad with the meal but then I decided to just add some lemon juice, olive oil and salt to mixed greens and placed them on top of the chops.

The meal was great to look at and best of all- it tasted delicious. The greatest thing about the meal was that it took almost no time to prepare…. definitely make this meal- it will be part of your repertoire.
read more …

Moroccan Style Chicken with Spinach Cilantro Couscous

Moroccan Style Chicken This dish takes the mundane chicken dinner to a whole new level. We had our usual Friday get together with Sia’s friend, her sisters and their Mom. It started off as a pizza party and as far as the kids are concerned, that is what we should serve every week. Most times I don’t feel like ordering pizza and would rather cook something at home.

So when the day came, I decided to make a chicken dish- something different (I usually say that in my mind- I really do). I was either watching  or reading something- I can’t remember, but Moroccan chicken came up. That was it- I couldn’t think of anything else. I bought the chicken and – everything else was in the house. Couscous comes to mind when I think Moroccan food. Instead of making a salad on the side, I decided to make a spinach and cilantro sauce and cooked the couscous in it. The colors were amazing- the orangish red chicken against the light green couscous was beautiful. The taste wasn’t so shabby either.

We all enjoyed the chicken with the couscous and some red wine- yes I am drinking wine- just on the weekends for now and Friday is part of the weekend. I do plan to incorporate wine back into the week but since I am doing a cleanse, I feel I should detox and stay away from it for a while. I digress- the evening was very enjoyable and delicious!

  • 2 tablespoons white whole-wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, sliced thin
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon schug (hot red pepper mix)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Toss the flour and salt with the chicken in a bag to coat. Heat a non-stick skillet with the olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides, about 4 minutes each. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Add cinnamon, ginger, cumin, schug and salt. Add the tomato, honey, raisins, chickpeas and chicken. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle the almonds and cilantro. Serve with couscous.

Moroccan Style Chicken 1

Spinach Cilantro Couscous

  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 green onion

Blend the spinach, cilantro, garlic and onion with some water until a smooth paste is formed. Keep aside.

  • 1 cup whole wheat couscous
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup spinach paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat a medium sized saucepan and add the oil. Add the spinach paste and saute for a minutes on medium high heat. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous and place the lid and turn the heat off. Fluff the couscous in 5 minutes once it is cooked.