Cous Cous Again!

Now that I have started making couscous I think I might be an addict. It is DEFINITELY a new staple in my kitchen. I made almost the same couscous that I made the other week, this one was just a little more dressed up. I used whole wheat couscous from Trader Joes (I haven't used regular couscous yet, but I see no reason too. The whole wheat is delicious, unlike some other whole wheat versions of every day foods. For example I just can't do whole wheat pasta. I simply do not care for the texture. And I like my pasta al dente, but for some reason the whole wheat never seems to cook quite enough and then it gets slimy. Gross).

This time I added kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, and feta, like before, but added a shallot, 1/3 a small red onion, and a bunch of basil chiffonade. I also used the sun dried tomato oil as my olive oil. Some black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes, and John and I had lunch two days in a row.

To serve it for lunch I did something slightly different. I placed the couscous in the bottom of a tupperware, and then added a bunch of spinach, a diced tomato, and a dollop of hummus on top. I sort of had two salads in one container! I ate the spinach and hummus etc first, but also mixed it all around, It was quite good. The fresh veggies brightened everything up. A perfect salad for a nice workday lunch in the park!

Why Don't I Eat More CousCous?!

I made couscous last night. I bought a box of whole wheat couscous at Trader Joe's a week or so ago and decided to dive into it. This stuff is the easiest stuff on the planet. I can't believe I don't do this more often. I cooked it in chicken stock to add more flavor, but I think that you can really just do it with some water.

It's all about the add-ins with couscous. So, I added some chopped Kalamata olives, chopped sundried tomatoes, feta, scallions, and some celery for crunch. I also added some olive oil, both from the jar of sun dried tomatoes and from a bottle. It was delicious. Oh, some red pepper flakes as well. I actually just kept throwing things in and John asked if I was ever going to be finished, because he was hungry.

I decided that couscous could be like artwork. I remember in art class I would just keep painting a painting. There's always another layer you can add, another color, another edge to smooth, until finally my teacher would say "you're finished. There's nothing more you can do." That was like my couscous last night. I finally had to say, ok, I'm done!

What to Have in a Pantry at All Times

According to Sara Moulton of "Sara's Secret's" on the Food Network and of Gourmet Magazine, these are her top picks for what every pantry needs. I agree with some of them (I can't tell you how many kitchens I have been in that are lacking simple things like vinegar or soy sauce) but there are others that seem arbitrary (roasted pimentos?!). I would have to add honey to this list. Hmmm, what else? A jar of pasta sauce, popcorn (snack attack), I always have bread at all times, and butter, but those aren't really pantry staples because they spoil more quickly. I do usually have a can of sardines in my pantry, as I love them on crackers with some mustard. Or between two pieces of (untoasted) fresh whole wheat bread with some lettuce, thinly sliced cucumber, dijon mustard and fresh cracked pepper. Trust me, this is one of the best sandwiches you can have. It is inexpensive and full or both protein and calcium.

Canned and Bottled Items:
Tuna, in oil or water
Anchovies
Beans-pinto, white, and black
Chicken broth
Plum tomatoes
artichoke hearts
Peanut butter
Roasted pimentos
Olives
Capers
Dijon mustard
Soy sauce

Pastas , Beans, Grains:
Various pastas
Couscous
Cornmeal
Rice-brown, arborio, basmati, long-grain
Lentils

Oils:
Vegetable
Extra-virgin Olive

Vinegars:
White or red wine
Cider
Balsamic
Sherry wine

Misc.:
Sun-dried tomatoes
Dry mushrooms
Onions, shallots and garlic
Potatoes

Various spices