Basil Roasted Veggies & Couscous

The roasting gives the veggies in this dish a wonderful rich flavor, not to mention beautiful with all the gorgeous colors. And couscous is a nice change from rice and pasta all the time. It also makes for great (and lots of) leftovers, which I am very much looking forward to tomorrow. :)

Basil Roasted Veggies & Couscous

Feel free to roast whatever veggies you like best, or whatever is in season at the time. This would also be good on the side dish of a nice roasted chicken.
Makes 4-6 servings.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs minced fresh basil
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 garlic gloves, crushed
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1” slices
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces
1 medium yellow pepper, cut into 1” pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 (8oz) package mushrooms
3 cups hot cooked couscous
3 oz. basil-flavored goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425ËšF.

Combine basil, vinegar, oil, salt, and garlic in large bowl. Stir well. Add vegetables and toss well to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan. bake for 35 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally.

Spoon roasted vegetables over couscous and top with cheese. Sprinkle with pepper. Garnish with fresh basic sprigs, if desired.

Balsamic Braised Mushrooms and Couscous

What do you get when you have a meal planned of portobello black bean burgers with corn salsa, but Lindsay neglects to buy black beans at the store? Well, you spread the ingredients you do have over the counter, and figure out what you can make with it in the least amount of time possible.

This is by far the best way to cook mushrooms. Any kind of mushrooms. We served them with couscous this time around, but they’d go well with just about anything or as a side dish to any meal.

Balsamic Braised Mushrooms and Couscous

Recipe from our twisted minds. Adjust spices as necessary, it’s purely made to taste. So easy it barely needs a recipe.

INGREDIENTS
Fresh Mushrooms
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Oregano
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
Couscous, cooked according to package directions

DIRECTIONS
Trim and cut mushrooms into bite sized pieces.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté 3-4 minutes.

Add a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and stir until absorbed. Add spices, salt, and pepper to taste. Spoon on top of couscous and serve.

Arabic Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes

Israeli (aka Pearl) Couscous is something I haven’t tried before. I’ve seen it used in recipes and heard about it, but have never actually eaten it. So when we saw a box of it for sale at Trader Joe’s, I snapped it up, and began searching for recipes in which to use my unique find.

This recipe is a keeper. It reminds me a lot of the Mediterranean Orzo and Chicken Salad recipe we made this summer, both in flavor and in mouth feel. I think orzo and pearl couscous are very similar, so if you can’t find the later, orzo is a good substitute.

We added half of a rotisserie chicken for some protein, and so we could eat this as our entire dinner. It’s eaten cool or room temperature. We always like meals like that because I can get photos, Taylor can get all the dishes done, and we don’t have to worry about our food getting cold. It’d be a good summer meal, but also a good winter meal when your tired of all the hot and heavy foods.

Enjoy!

Pearl Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes

Makes 6 servings. Recipe from Epicurious.

INGREDIENTS
For roasted tomatoes and dressing
2 pints red grape or cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 pound)
3 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For couscous
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 1/4 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 roasted chicken, shredded (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Roast tomatoes and make dressing:
Preheat oven to 250°F.

Halve tomatoes through stem ends and arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan. Add garlic to pan and roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.

Peel garlic and purée with oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.

Make couscous:
Bring broth to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and stir in couscous, then simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes.

Spread couscous in 1 layer on a baking sheet and cool 15 minutes.

Transfer couscous to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing, roasted tomatoes, chicken (if using), and salt and pepper to taste.