Israeli Couscous is a type of pasta that you can make quickly and works well as a base for almost any vegetable. These are the ones I had on hand today. I can’t quite think of a vegetable that wouldn’t work with couscous… Maybe carrots? I love adding the flavor to the couscous and then simply sauteing vegetables with salt and pepper although feel free to flavor both.

Lately, to dress it up, I’ve been mixing oil and vinegar into the dish at the end. Right now I’m really into a lime infused olive oil with a cranberry pear vinaigrette combination. A simple oil and balsamic vinaigrette would taste great as well. Honestly though, you can use this recipe as a base and add in whatever seasonings feel right. There is no wrong vegetable/seasoning combination for this dish.

Ingredients for the Couscous
Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous 1 cup
Water 1 1/4 cup
Olive Oil 1 tablespoon
Salt 1/2 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Basil 1 tsp fresh or dried
Oregano 1 tsp fresh or dried

Ingredients for the Vegetables
Onions 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Peppers 1/4 cup, chopped
Zuchini 1/4 cup, chopped
Tomatoes 8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Kale 5-6 leaves, chopped
Olive Oil 1 tbsp
Salt and Pepper to taste

Serving Size
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side salad.

Preparation
In a sauce pan, combine all couscous ingredients. Set your burner to high. Once the water boils, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and turn the burner to low. Let it cook for 6-8 minutes. Around 6 minutes I usually check the couscous to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and let it simmer uncovered until the water evaporates.

For the vegetables, take a saute pan, coat the bottom of the pan with oil, salt and pepper and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the onions and green peppers and zucchini. Once softened, approximately 1-3 minutes, add the tomatoes and kale. Saute until all ingredients are cooked.

If desired, add a little bit of oil and vinegar for added flavor.

Mix the vegetables and couscous together in the saute pan and serve!