Fried rice is really a wonderful dish but is definitely a no-no in my health book. I realized there must be some way to satisfy my craving without compromising my new lifestyle. I brainstormed a bit and hoped couscous would do the trick.
I love couscous. It's so versatile, very easy to make, and a box can last me a couple of dishes. With this dish, I decided to cook couscous with carrots, mushrooms, and beans. I normally buy Near East couscous, but replaced it this time with Fantastic World Foods Organic Whole Wheat Couscous, which I found at Micronesia Mall Pay-Less Supermarket. I'm happy to report it tastes the same as the Near East version.
I took this opportunity to also try Quorn's Naked Chick'n Cutlet and fry it for a little bit using Pam cooking spray.
It turned out a little dry, but I'm guessing it's due to the frying. Next time, I'm going to grill it or microwave it (both acceptable cooking methods) and see if it makes it juicier. The texture was awesome though. Cutting through it was like cutting through a real chicken breast. In fact, my boyfriend couldn't believe it wasn't made using real chicken.
As I hoped, chick'n and couscous with carrots, mushrooms, and beans successfully quelled my fried rice craving. If my taste buds decide to picket together and demand fried rice again, I'll be repeating this dish but with a different mix of vegetables. You know, just to keep things interesting.
Serves 5
16 ounces couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup kidney beans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon curry powder
Prepare couscous according to package instructions. On high heat, sauté onion, carrots, and mushrooms until 3/4 cooked, for approximately 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add vegetable broth. Let mixture simmer. Add spices and kidney beans. Stir in prepared couscous. Cover and remove from burner.
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