Antipasto Couscous with Chickpeas

Antipasto Couscous with Chickpeas
By Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Dietitian™
A staple in North African cuisine, couscous is actually small pieces of semolina pasta made from whole grain flour. My
whole grain couscous dish is based on a variety of flavorful preserved vegetables, such as sun-dried tomatoes, roasted
peppers, and marinated artichoke hearts. You can keep these
ingredients in your pantry and make this wholesome one-dish
meal at a moment’s notice. And it’s just as good served cold as a
salad.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
Half 12-ounce jar drained, sliced fire-roasted red or yellow peppers (about ½ cup)
1/2 cup canned marinated mushrooms, drained
Half 12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), no salt added, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup pitted green olives, drained
1 tablespoon capers
1-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
1/3 cup chopped pistachios
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, chickpeas, olives, capers, water, vinegar, lemon
pepper, paprika, and oregano. Cook until bubbly, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour the couscous over the vegetable mixture (do not stir) then cover the pan and remove from the
heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the cover and fluff the couscous with a fork. Sprinkle with the pistachios and serve
immediately.
Notes: Chill this dish to serve it as a salad. If you plan on serving it much later, reserve the pistachios to keep
them from getting soggy and sprinkle them on at the last minute.
Savory Shitake Bowl with Kale and Brown Rice
By Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Dietitian™
This crunchy bowl has umami—the fifth taste—written all over it, thanks to the savory flavors of shitake mushrooms,
tofu, and soy sauce. And kale—rich in vitamins and more than 45 different flavonoid compounds—is a super green food
everyone should eat more of.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
7 ounces firm tofu (about half of a 16-ounce package), drained and cubed
4 cups packed chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
3. Add the soy sauce, sesame seeds, wasabi paste, red pepper flakes, mushrooms, and tofu and stir well.
Sauté them for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Stir in remaining 1/3 c water and the kale and sauté until the kale is slightly wilted and crisp-tender,
about 4 minutes.
5. Spoon 1/2 cup cooked rice into each of four individual bowls and top with about 1-1/2 cups shitakekale mixture.