Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
This dish serves 4 grown ups and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Ingredients
- 275g couscous
- 60ml (4 tablespoons) olive oil
- 5 spring onions, thinly cut with scissors
- 3 carrots (sliced in half length ways and par-cooked), sliced into half-moons
- 2 courgettes, cut into half-moons
- 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 250ml vegetable stock
- Fresh coriander, to garnish
Method
- Add the oil to the hot pan with the onions and cook over low heat until the onions soften.
- Stir in the carrots and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in the courgettes and spices, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes more, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the stock and chick peas, then heat slowly to simmering. Cook gently for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add couscous the to the pan. Allow the couscous to absorb the stock.
- Tear the coriander leaves into small pieces and sprinkle over the couscous before serving.
Nutrition, re-heating and swaps!
Store in the fridge and eat within 3 days.
Couscous is made from wheat, like pasta, so it fills you up. It is low in salt, low in fat, costs around £1 per portion and contains 3 of your 5 a day.
Couscous cooks very quickly in boiling water from the kettle – no saucepans required! There is some protein in the salad in the peas/broad beans and the chickpeas. Some supermarkets and health food stores stock whole wheat couscous. This contains more protein and fills you up more.
If you don’t have exactly what is in the recipe try these ‘Swaps’:
- Red onions are more traditional (but harder to cut) and have a stronger taste
- Beetroot or squash as well as, or instead of chopped carrots
- Green beans (runner, French, broad) instead of chick peas
- Other tinned beans such as black eye beans or kidney beans
- Chopped celery instead of courgette
- Chopping up some crumbly cheese such as feta and adding just before serving for more protein
- Use a different grain such as rice, bulgar wheat or pearl barley.