I am such a sucker for the reduced price produce at the grocery store. I save at least half of the original price for stuff that might look a little weird or have a brown spot or something. Sometimes I can't believe what ends up on in the bin, stuff that I wouldn't consider reduced bin material, but hey, if they want to stick it in there, then I will be more than happy to buy it.A couple days ago I found some good looking roma tomatoes in that said reduced produce bin..the skins the tiniest bit wrinkled (like I could care less), least hen 50 cents a pound. Um, yea, I bought those and put them to good use.
Tomatoes roasted until they fell apart with a few other chunks of stuff, then piled onto a base of spinach and couscous. This meal cost me pennies and was stupid easy and fast to make. And pretty to boot. Perfect for a quick healthy meal on a busy day or maybe for those people looking for a tasty, not too completed dinner to make for a special someone for Valentines day? Or make just for yourself…its pretty much the perfectly dish. Anyone can get into it. And if you don't happen to have a grocery store with a reduced produce bin full of tomatoes…it's cool, you'll just have to pay full price for the perfect ones.
So simple. A little olive oil in pan. Chunk the tomatoes and throw in pan with the chopped onion, carrot, cauliflower, garlic and chick peas. Drizzle a bit more oil and top with salt and pepper. Give it all a toss and stick into oven. That's that. Just leave it in there until everything is so nice and soft and falling apart.
One of the best things about couscous is that you don't even need to dirty a pot or a bowl to make it, just add dried couscous to the bowl you are going to eat out of with a cup of boiling water and a pinch of salt. (I added the spinach with the water too) After about 8 minutes, the couscous absorbs all the water and you just fluff it up with a fork. Easy, freaking Peasy!!! Out of the oven and piled on…..
I mean, if this isn't one classy looking meal, then I don't know what is.
Sprinkle with a little parmesan or nutritional yeast if you want and step back and admire. And now eat it to you face.
And barely any dishes to wash. No big mess to clean up. I could get used to that.
-C
Chunky Tomato and Stuff Couscous
Serves 2
- 3/4 cup Couscous
- 1 cup boiling water
- Handful of chopped spinach
- 4-5 roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 medium carrot diced
- Half of an onion diced
- Cup or so of cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
- Cup of prepared chick peas
- 4 or 5 cloves garlic minced
- Olive oil to drizzle
- Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400
Place onion, carrot, cauliflower,tomatoes, chick peas and garlic into a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give everything a light toss. Stick into oven for 35-40 minutes until tomatoes are falling apart and everything is nice and roasted.
In a medium bowl, (or serving bowl) add cup of boiling water to dry couscous and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and cover. Let sit for at about 8 minutes, or until the couscous had fully absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and top with roasted tomato stuff.
Top with parmesan or nutritional yeast if you are into it.
Enjoy!
There is a joke about Vermonters, that all we talk about is the weather. Well, it's kind of true. But to our defense, we get a lot of weather, and it's always changing and intense and both lovely and crazy and all over. So yeah, we talk. A lot, about the weather.
I accidentally spilled the turmeric on the counter..but it kind of looks like I might have done it on purpose… yeah, let's go with that. Chop the garlic and he ginger into chunks
And toss into the pot to warm and activate. Just a little toasty toast. 
And the veggies are roasted and tender and smell so good. It took a lot of will power to not eat the whole pan right there.
I added the roasted veggies and 3 cups water straight into my pot with the spices because I used an emulsion blender. If you are using normal blender, add the veggies, the toasted spices and the water to the blender and blend until smooth. Then transfer to a pot.
Pretty much all blended together….(I left a few big chunks in there to snack on while I was waiting to eat serve…I was really hungry) and let to simmer for a little longer...
Pretty much a little bit of everything that I have in my fridge….Shredded red cabbage, carrots, beets. Some sliced of red onion, tomato and red pepper. Hummus and a little mashed avocado
Yes, it may look like a mess, but that's just me trying to make five different things at once. But really, making these wraps are simple simple. Just take rinsed and dried green or red leaf lettuce, smear on hummus and mashed avocado and pile on the veggies. Roll and stick with a toothpick to keep from unrolling. See…. simple.
So many colors…… so much pretty. 
Wrapped and rolled...Sliced down the middle, just to see all the pretty inside.
These might be veggie wraps, but man, look at those sausage fingers…(hehehe)
Start with the base layer of kale… then first goes the sliced onion. (Make sure it's thinly sliced or else it will be to overpowering)
Add thinly sliced oranges…oh boy, your half way there!!!
Top with thinly sliced avocado, a sprinkle of salt and drizzle with lime juice. I also served with an extra wedge of lime, there is never too much lime.
