It's a constant dilemma that I'm faced with on a weekly basis: what the heck do I make for lunches at work. Yah, I know as far as dilemmas go, it's not that bad in the whole cosmic scheme of things. Just annoying really. But the point is, I really hate trying to figure out what to put in my lunches. It's an important part of anyone's day and I look forward to it eagerly ... I start counting down the hours starting at around, oh say, 9 a.m., no joke....because I love to eat and I love my food! I want something quick and easy, something that I can make in a big batch, something that I can look forward to, something healthy and also filling, something that helps me stave off those 2 pm cookie cravings... although I'm not sure anything can help me with that last request...those freshly made cafeteria cookies are irresistible. Seriously. Even though they give me heartburn. Still totally worth it.
It's the perfect time of the year to test out this recipe as zucchinis are exploding in local gardens everywhere and I'm always looking for ways to use them up, healthy ways I should stipulate ...you can only make and eat so much chocolate zucchini bread, muffins etc. The bonus of this dish is the use of the quick cooking couscous, although you could experiment and use different grains- quinoa or millet would also be an excellent choice, you would just have to adjust your cooking times. I also can't seem to pass up recipes that are seasoned with curry and cumin. There is only a mild hint of curry so it would be perfect for those of you not so taken with the flavour of curry as I am. Next time, I will probably double the amount of curry that I used and I will probably experiment a bit more by adding some chickpeas (yum!), raisins and changing up the vegetables. A very basic and versatile recipe to be sure. You can use it as a quick side dish, or a main lunch dish as I chose to do. There is also another important feature of this recipe, one that endeared me to it even before I tasted it (and it tastes great btw) : it's made in one pan so clean up is a breeze. Sigh. I think I'm in love ;-)
Curried Zucchini and Couscous
(from Eating Well magazine August 2013)
Makes 4 servings, 1 1/4 cups each
Active time: 25 minutes Total: 25 minutes
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (I used shallots)
1 cup water
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 cup grated carrot (I diced carrots instead)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted ( I didn't toast mine as I was too lazy, just being honest.)
Handful of raisins (optional)
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. (I also added the carrots to the pan as I prefer them a little softer- the original recipe calls for them to be raw in the finished dish.) Transfer to a large bowl.
Add water, lime juice, curry, cumin, salt and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Add the couscous and carrot to the bowl (if you are using the raw carrot version of the recipe) with the zucchini; stir to combine. Serve topped with almonds.
Cheers! (But only with a non-alcoholic beverage, it's lunch after all.)
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