Fresh and herby.

I can't get enough of couscous. I mean, how could I? It's waaaayyy easier to cook than rice and faster than pasta, plus you can incorporate a bajillion things to beef it up. I like mixing in different veggies in it so it ends up like fried rice / yang chow, then maybe add in a spice or two. Really, you can't go wrong with couscous. 

In the past, I've shared a Moroccan-inspired dish with couscous but today's recipe, I decided to make a fresher, cleaner version. While I like my spices, I don't mind going spice-free from time to time. Gotta mix it up, you know?

So how do you make a clean taste fresh and clean? Well, all you have to do is add herbs and splash a citrus acid in it. Oh, and also cut back in ingredients, haha! The recipe that inspired today's dish was actually a Giada DiLaurentiis dish. Her Herbed Quinoa recipe inspired me to do this fresh blend on couscous and I am loving it! It's easy, fresh, and can be easily modified. What's not to like?

This dish is pretty straightforward and requires minimal cooking. You know what that means? Less dish washing! Yes, in a way, this is a one bowl kinda dish so hopefully this can help you during busy days when you don't have a lot of time to cook. I made my dish very green by using herbs and zucchini, but feel free to add in chickpeas to have a source of protein. You can totally eat this on its own or as a side. I reckon this will be great with grilled fish or chicken for non no meat days, plus it's also great for meal prep since it freezes great and reheats quickly. 

Enjoy!

Herb & Zucchini Couscous

(adapted from Giada DiLaurentiis' Herbed Quinoa recipe)

Yield: 2-3

1/2 c uncooked couscous

3/4 c + 2 tbsp vegetable broth (use chicken broth for a non-vegan/vegetarian option)

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small zucchini, cubed

2 tbsp lemon or calamansi juice

1/4 c (or around 12 leaves) chopped fresh basil

1-2 sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

salt & pepper

optional: 1 tsp lemon zest

1. Combine uncooked couscous with boiling broth. Cover and let stand for 7-10 minutes. Fluff with fork and set aside.

2. Heat up pan with oil and saute garlic until fragrant.

3. Add in zucchini and cook until it reaches the tenderness you want.

3. Turn off heat and add into the pan remaining ingredients (herbs, lemon/calamansi juice, lemon zest (if using), and cooked couscous).

4. Toss until everything is well mixed and coated. Serve.