israeli couscous with basil, portobellos, and sundried tomatoes

Israeli couscous with basil, portobellos, and sundried tomatoes

Paging the fail whale. I made a mistake in Blogger last night and accidentally published the post that was meant for this morning.  It can be found here.  Therefore, this post is sub-par - a straightforward recipe with no anecdotal backstory.  Sorry to let you down, but it's better than a no-post Monday. 

Lots of people try to eat lighter in January after enjoying the holidays.  My eating habits don't run on a yearly cycle, but rather a weekly one.  My Friday through Sunday is analogous to Thanskgiving through New Years, and come Monday my body actually craves simple, healthful food.  This very easy and healthy couscous salad does just the trick.  The secret to the recipe is a bag of Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend Couscous - a one-pound bag of Israeli-style couscous, red and green orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa.  Like so many other 40-day Vegetarian recipes, it can (and should) be easily adapted to whatever you have on hand, and whatever you feel like eating.  I'm thinking maybe I'll make it later this spring with peas, artichokes, asparagus, and green onions.  It's the perfect side dish or main course.

Israeli Couscous with Chopped Vegetables, a 40-day Vegetarian original
Serves two

One handful spinach, chopped
One handful sundried tomatoes, chopped
Two portobello mushroom caps, chopped
Three artichoke hearts, chopped
fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup Trader Joe's harvest grains blend Israeli couscous
3/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Heat half of the olive oil and all of the garlic in a pan, add the onion to saute a few minutes.
2.  Add 3/4 cup of stock and 1/2 cup Israeli couscous blend.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
3. Saute the spinach and mushrooms in the other half of the olive oil to wilt the leaves and soften the caps, 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, stirring to combine.
4. Toss chopped vegetables with cooked couscous and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic or red wine vinegar.  Top with fresh basil.

That's it - sorry this post is so lame.  I will make it up to you tomorrow!