Lime & Cilantro Israeli Couscous with Shrimp

You can get this one-pot meal on the table in about 20 minutes, especially if you cheat like I did and use precooked, ready-to-eat shrimp to speed things up.

This was delicious warm for dinner and cold the next day for lunch.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Lime & Cilantro Israeli Couscous with Shrimp

3 cups Israeli couscous, cooked to package directions
1 cup grape tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, cooked and chilled

Using a medium pot or saucepan, prepare couscous as directed. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables. Remove couscous from heat.

Add tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lime juice to the saucepan. Gently mix together and season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and mix again.

Serve on butter lettuce leaves or simply eat as is.

Cucumber Couscous

Today I've got another summer side dish for you: Cucumber Couscous. And in case "because I said so" isn't a good enough excuse to make it, here are three reasons why you should add this one to your menu post haste.

Number one. It's easy. When your sidewalk chalk project takes longer than expected, you need to get dinner on the table fast. Couscous cooks in 5 minutes, so there you go. More summer fun? Don't mind if I do.

Number two. Cucumber Couscous is light and refreshing. I don't know if it's the water content in cucumbers or what, but they taste so stinking good when it's hot out. The crisp crunch of the cucumbers plus the fresh flavor of parsley knocks my socks off. It's the perfect pairing for grilled lamb kabobs or steak.

Number three. This dish can be served at room temperature. So it's perfect for when company is coming over or you're heading to the park for a barbecue. You don't want to be slaving over the stove at the last minute. It's summer. We should all be sipping pina coladas around the pool with our pals as much as humanly possible.

Now let's get cooking!
Erin

Cucumber Couscous
Inspired by Budget Bytes
Serves: 6

2 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
1 1/2 cups couscous
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large English (seedless) cucumber, quartered and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

In a large saucepan bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow couscous to sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.

Stir in lemon juice, olive oil, cucumber, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger Veggie Couscous

Take-out meals definitely serve their purpose, but making your own versions at home is more fun, healthier and budget-conscious, too.

I always have chicken in the freezer and a box or two of couscous on hand, so this was easy to whip up. A bag of matchstick carrots in the crisper drawer is the perfect add to the couscous, along with green onions and broccoli. As for the ginger, here's my tip: Instead of buying a piece of ginger root and using a micro-zester or a grater, I buy a tube of minced ginger. It lasts longer in the fridge than the root and speeds things up quite a bit.

You can use this teriyaki sauce as a marinade for grilled chicken or you can pour it over the chicken and bake it in the oven. Either way the flavor is restaurant-worthy.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Teriyaki Chicken

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced or grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces (skinless breasts or skinless thighs)

If oven baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees. If grilling, preheat your grill to medium about 10 minutes before you plan to cook the chicken.

In a saucepan, combine soy sauce, cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper, brown sugar, cornstarch and cold water. Simmer over low heat until sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Remove pot from heat and set aside.

Place chicken in a 13 x 9 inch pan. Pour teriyaki sauce over chicken, turning the chicken pieces to coat both sides.

If baking, place in oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from baking pan and place on serving platter. Top with remaining teriyaki sauce from baking dish.

If grilling, cover pan and put in refrigerator to let chicken marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat your grill. Remove chicken from marinade and grill on medium for 5 to 8 minutes per side, brushing with the extra marinade as you turn the chicken pieces. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Ginger Veggie Couscous

1 box wheat or plain couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Prepare couscous according to package directions, except omit oil or butter.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Add couscous to skillet and stir to combine. Add sesame oil and soy sauce, and gently mix to combine the sauces.

To serve, plate chicken (slicing breast meat is a nice touch) with veggie couscous and enjoy!