couscous

A Sugar user recently asked for menu ideas for a romantic, yet healthy Valentine's dinner. Yesterday, I shared my recipe for the main dish I will be serving on the 14th — Spicy Scallops with Balsamic-Braised Cabbage. I enjoy a healthy carb with most of my meals and felt that Mediterranean couscous would complement the main dish.

Couscous is easy to make and so versatile. I use the whole wheat version since it is higher in fiber. The nuts and currants add texture to the couscous as well as taste.

To see the recipe, read more

If you've got leftover shrimp in your fridge, it's the perfect start of a weeknight meal. The quick-cooking shellfish, when combined with couscous and field greens, is a healthy, delicious meal.

It takes a minimal amount of time to make, so you can even prepare extra shrimp and field greens to put in a salad for the next day's lunch.

To add this recipe to your repertoire, read more

Fish and couscous are two simple ingredients that, when paired together, make a very quick meal. The couscous takes a mere five minutes to cook and the fish requires about 10 under the broiler.

Although the ingredient list calls for store-bought salsa, if you have time, make it fresh! This recipe is versatile, balanced, and delicious. Get it now and read more

Pork tenderloin may not be the first thing that comes to mind when barbecuing, but it's just as easy to grill as other meats like chicken breast. In this rendition, grilled lemon and pork tenderloin are served with broccoli rabe and pistachio couscous. As this cut of meat is fairly lean, it makes for a healthy, well-rounded meal. To get the recipe, which is perfect for both Summer and Fall, read more

Although some folks consider couscous a whole grain, I just think of it as very small pasta. But the whole wheat version of this very small pasta is very tasty and a serving has seven grams of fiber. Not too shabby for tiny pasta.

Couscous is very versatile and I recently concocted a sweet side dish featuring dried fruit and the healthful sweet spices cardamom and cinnamon. The dish complements spicy main dishes and the leftovers are great for breakfast the next day. This couscous may be sweet, but there is no sugar added! The combination of dried fruit and nut increases the fiber content of this dish too, making it a truly healthful side dish.

To see the recipe, just read more

Couscous is a staple common to North African cuisine. Instead of serving it as a savory part of my dinner menu, I decided to use it to make a sweet dessert. Most people have had rice or bread pudding, but the majority of my guests have yet to experience couscous pudding.

This variation is made with fluffy whipped cream, sautéed bananas, and fresh pineapple. This type of dessert is ideal for a dinner party because it can be made well in advance. To take a look at the recipe, read more

Don't be afraid of using your grill on weeknights to create quick and simple meals. Especially when the weather is pleasant, grilling is an excellent technique for rapid, maximized flavor cooking. In this recipe a plethora of vegetables are seared on the grill. The veggies are tossed with a fragrantly spiced couscous, fresh herbs, and filling garbanzo beans. A salty feta cheese is the finishing touch to this hearty, vegetarian dish from MyRecipes.com. To learn how to make it, read more

Paella — Spain's most well known rice dish — is not necessarily a great option for a quick and simple dinner. However, using couscous instead of rice cuts the cook time in half without reducing the flavor or integrity of the dish. There is a lot of chopping and sautéing in the traditional version, but this couscous variation comes together rapidly with minimal chopping. Smoky kielbasa provides heat, and cherry tomatoes add freshness.

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Normally I stuff chicken breasts with creamy cheese or buttery ham. When I came across this recipe for herbed couscous stuffed chicken, I got very excited. A much healthier alternative to cheese or pork, couscous is equally delicious. I love how it makes an entire meal in one chicken breast!

Feel free to get creative, if you have a bunch of parsley on hand use that instead of mint. Want to know how it's made? read more