Couscous

DreamVelveteen

Away with the fairies...
Hello

Decided to buy plain couscous and cooked some up today to have on the side of lunch, but does anyone have any ideas (preferably low or no syn) that you can do with plain couscous?

It doesn't even need to be for lunch just have a huge bag and no idea!

Many thanks

Lauren :)


:eatdrink051:
 
One of my favourite things to do with it is to make it up with stock (chicken or veg) rather than just plain water and then roast a load of cherry tomatoes, peppers and red onions. Squash some of the tomatoes into the cous cous (it turns a lovely orange colour) and then mix the rest of the veggies through and sometimes I'll add some fresh basil. Lasts for a few days in the fridge for lunches or as a side for a main meal. Enjoy!
 
You can just have it as an alternative to rice as a side dish. There is a recipe in an old SW cook book for morroccan vegetables and cous cous that tastes fantastic. It takes a bit of time to do but it's weel worth it and it's packed with superfree foods too - bonus!
 
I adapted these from a Delia recipe. They have has syns/HEXes but serve 2-3 people as a side/snack/lunch and taste DIVINE so well worth it.

Cous cous, tomato & basil salad in garlic & mustard dressing
- 500g cous cous (cooked weight)
- 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 10-20 basil leaves, chopped
- 1-2 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (4 syns or part of a HEXB)
- 50g reduced fat feta (1 HEXA) - you can skip this if you like

- Mix the cooked cous cous, basil and tomato in a bowl and put aside
- Crush the garlic with the salt in a pestle & mortar (or garlic - press if you dont have one)
- Add the cumin, lime juice, oil and some freshly ground black pepper and mix well
- Pour over the couscous salad and mix thoroughly
- Sprinkle the Feta over the top to taste

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Or this one is slightly different:

Cous cous salad with red onion, basil and garlic & mustard dressing
- 500g cooked cous cous
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed/finely chopped
- About 20 basil leaves, chopped

For the dressing:
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 rounded tsp powdered mustard
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (6 syns or 1 HEXB)
- freshly ground black pepper

- Cook onion & garlic in Fry Light for 5-10min until starting to soften
- Meanwhile crush garlic and salt in pestle & mortar until creamy
- Add mustard and work that in
- Add balsamic vinegar, oil and freshly ground black pepper and basil and mix well
- Put cous cous, onion mix and dressing together, mix well and serve

This pic is with it done with lentils but it goes equally well with cous cous
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I agree with gumbootlou, make it up with stock cube. If your in a rush then it tastes nice enough just like this as a side! I also sometimes put a drop of White wine vinegar in too...
 
I always make mine with stock as well, rather than just plain water - and then I usually chuck in whatever spices I feel like (curry, paprika, chillies etc) straight into the water before I cover up, the couscous then soaks up all spices while cooking and turns lush! :)
 
i always use chicken stock cubes to make it taste nicer i dont like just using plain water i shove a load of black peppper over it and then mix tuna and spring onion in to..i have it as a side with salad and crackerbreads and laughing cows .. very yummy lunch !!!
 
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