Vegetable Couscous

     This simple dish is a great main or side dish.  Choose the vegetables you like but, keep in mind that the tougher vegetables will have to cook longer before finishing off with adding in the couscous.  I use golden couscous for this recipe.  Couscous cooks up like instant rice.  Has a 1:1 liquid to product ratio and overall is healthier for you and lower in carbohydrates then rice.  I prefer cooking my couscous in a stock - be it vegetable stock or chicken stock in this case.  I first saw this quick recipe made by Chef Jacques Pepin.  Chef Pepin used mushrooms with the onions which I had to swap out due to allergies.  I hope you try this easy dish - its tasty and versatile!  This is great served with my Baked Salmon.  Enjoy! Diane 

Ingredients:
 1 Tablespoon butter
 1 Tablespoon olive oil 
 1 small onion (1/2 cup), diced.
 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
 1 Cup tomatoes, cubed or 1 Cup sliced cherry tomatoes
 1 Cup chicken broth or stock, divided 
 2 Cups loose packed fresh spinach, washed
 1 Cup Golden Couscous 
 salt & pepper, to taste 
 *optional sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan

Directions: 
   Place butter and olive oil in a small dutch oven.  Add in diced onion and zucchini. 
Let these vegetables cook down a good 5-7 minutes (this is the only time the vegetables will have a chance to truly cook down so, before proceeding on, make sure any vegetables you've added into this mixture are cooked.)  Next add in your fresh spinach and cut tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of your broth or stock. Let this cook 3-4 minutes at a simmer. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in your couscous. Add in the remaining stock and bring to a boil, turn off heat Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork once your time is up and serve sprinkled with some grated Parmesan.

Recipe adapted from: Jacques Pepin