Couscous to cure the Mondays

It’s Monday! And boy is it a Monday. Mine started out with breaking in my new shuffle(thank you, Dan!) with a frosty headwind – a chilly 32 degrees this morning – studying while unknowingly dumping a whole bottle full of water into my bag (thank goodness for fun study buddies and nutella hot chocolates at Bustle), and then heading home without a clue about what to make for dinner.

Well, late work nights and busy weeks call for a quick meal that can be reheated for lunch or dinner the next day. Tonight, I really wasn’t in the mood for difficult food preparation, but some chopping was just what I needed to ease the tension as I pulled out the entire contents of my purse and laid it to dry in front of the heater vent. Somehow my already-duct-taped, five year old phone survived the catastrophe (I swear it is protected by some kind of preservation vortex), but many of my punch cards did not – I had to throw out my one-punch-away Cinnabon card (I didn’t even know I had it, I swear).

Any vegetable combination can work for this dish if these are not your favorites. It’s also great for cleaning out your veggie drawer or trying to figure out what to do with the strange mix of organic root vegetables you bought at the farmers market because you wanted to look like a well-versed organic market-goer Seattleite in front of the steamy, if not slightly wavy gravy granola-type, vegetable stand farmer dude. Maybe you could invite him over for this meal?!

Couscous and Veggies

·         1 cup of whole wheat couscous (made with one cup of water, a dash of salt and one tablespoon of butter)

·         1 white or yellow onion

·         2 zucchinis

·         1 yellow squash

·         a handful of baby carrots

·         1 potato or turnip

·         ½ cup grape tomatoes

·         1-15 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes

·         1-15 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained

·         1 cup of water or broth

Alani’s totally made up Moroccan spice mix:

·         2 tsp cumin

·         1 tsp allspice

·         1/8 tsp chili powder

·         a dash of red cayenne

·         a dash of cinnamon

·         a dash of garlic salt

·         salt & pepper to taste

Couscous: Combine one cup of water, a dash of salt and butter in a saucepan. When it comes to boiling remove from heat, add the couscous, place the lid and let it sit until the water is absorbed and it is light and fluffy. Fluff with a fork.

Veggies: Sauté the onions in a little bit of olive oil. When they are translucent add the veggies (zucchini through grape tomatoes. Add the one cup of water and let it return to a simmer. Then add the can of tomatoes and the spice mix. Simmer until the veggies are soft. Add the can of garbanzo beans at the end. If you’re lucky enough to have fresh cilantro and/or flat leaf parsley in your fridge, add 2 tablespoons of each on the top at the end. Serve over couscous.

P.S. The spice mix is mild, if you want a kick double each portion.

P.P.S. Recipes adapted from the ever-famous Lily and Martha Stewart’s Moroccan Chicken with couscous.

Oh Valentine's day

Some may think Valentine's day is an over-commercialized Hallmark holiday, but I happen to think it's a good reminder to spread the love. My aunt used to have an inside joke with my sister and I and she would buy us heart shaped things for our birthdays, un-related holidays, and just because – not to mention, she would go wild for Valentine's day. I have no idea how the tradition started (or what the inside joke was), but I'm dedicated to keeping it alive! It makes the holiday more about love and less about mooshy gooshy romance.

On Monday night, I downloaded sappy love songs from the ages to play in the background, gathered ingredients for a delicious meal and filled out a handmade card (to be honest I made it last year, along with hundreds more! I should really get into the card selling business). Dan had other ideas about the holiday and resisted flowers (even when I sent him to the store for forgotten ingredients) and failed at his only task: to think of the evening’s entertainment. I realize I like to go a little overboard, even when the cupid-struck holiday lands on a Monday, so we’ll give him a pass this one time – especially because he was so helpful in the kitchen! We had a blast making a fancy, yet simple, dinner for two to celebrate the heart-filled holiday. See below for substitutions and special notes.

Salad: romaine, strawberries, avocado, red onion (diced), and a little cheat – store bought Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette

Main Course: Sautéed scallops with tomato-basil sauce over angel hair pasta (adapted from Giada de Laurentiis’ recipe featured on the Today Show)

Dessert: Chocolate almond tarts (Also adapted from Giada de Laurentiis)

Sauteed scallops with tomato-basil sauce over angel hair pasta
Serves 4-6
Sauce: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
•    1 pound angel hair pasta
•    1 (15 ounces) can diced tomatoes
•    2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
•    1 clove garlic, chopped
•    2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
•    1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
•    3/4 cup chopped smoked almonds (or raw almonds toasted)
•    1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
•    6 large scallops

Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Process until the mixture is coarsely chopped.

If the scallops are large, slice them in half to create two disks. Sear the scallops in olive oil (about 4 minutes on each side) and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the cooked pasta, tomato mixture and smoked almonds in a large serving bowl. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chopped basil. Place the seared scallops over the top of the pasta on each plate.

Chocolate almond tarts (Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients
•    3 large or 7 (2 1/2-inch) square chocolate graham crackers (I used teddy grahams)
•    1 tablespoon slivered almonds
•    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pans
•    1/2 cup heavy cream
•    1 tablespoon honey
•    1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips, such as Nestle Toll House

Preparation
Special equipment: 2 4-inch diameter round or heart-shaped springform pans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the bottom and sides of 2 4-inch springform pans.

Place the graham crackers and almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture forms fine crumbs, about 15 to 20 seconds. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pans. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan, whisk the cream and honey together over low heat until the honey has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to just below a boil. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth. Ladle the chocolate mixture over the prepared crusts. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.

Loosen the tarts from the sides of the pans by running a thin metal spatula around the edges. Remove the sides of the pans and transfer the tarts to 2 dessert plates. Top with whipped cream and/or ice cream and serve.

I didn’t have heart shaped pans so I made one 9-inch tart and we cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Make sure the tart is very cold before doing this as it melts with the warmth of your fingers.

Cook's Note: If chocolate graham crackers are not available, substitute with honey graham crackers and add 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder when blending.