The way that I describe this dish, is a middle eastern version of fried rice. It’s a great meal the throw together and one that you can experiment with spices that you don’t likely use in your daily cooking. The original recipe calls for a steaming method of cooking, which is the traditional method. I neglected to read the directions before I started the recipe and didn’t think we even owned a steamer! Well, after I completely revamped the entire cooking method, I realized that we DO have a steamer so I guess I’ll try that next time!
Couscous is very low in fat, and has about the same in protein, fiber and carbs as quinoa. Quinoa beats couscous in the mineral content, but couscous packs an amazing 87% of your daily suggested intake. About 55mcg is suggested daily and couscous has 43mcg per once cup serving. Selenium has antioxidant properties, can help the body regulate the thyroid hormones, support a healthy immune system, and aid in metabolism. One of selenium’s most important roles is as an antioxidant helping to prevent cell damage due to free radicals. (Sources: WebMD and Eating Well)
One VERY important thing that I did not note, until I’d already washed and set aside four cups of couscous, is the water to couscous ratio in this recipe. Much like rice or quinoa, there is a two to one ratio for water to couscous. Now, this recipe called for 4 cups of dry couscous. Four cups of dry couscous is quite a large portion, borderline obscene actually. I only realized this fact at the very moment where I was pouring the 8 cups of water and 4 cups of couscous into my stove top pan and it was nearly brimming over. And, I hadn’t event started it boiling yet! My denial for the amount of couscous I was in the middle of making could no longer be indulged and I pulled out the large stock pot and transferred my absurd amount of couscous into the larger pot. While there was much more couscous than I would normally cook, about 9 servings worth, the ratio of the other ingredients worked perfectly. The only thing I would change is to maybe try cutting the couscous by half.
To serve, mix the roasted zucchini and butternut squash, chickpeas, raisins and sautéed onion together in a bowl and add a little more chopped parsley. (Typically, chickpeas from a can are already cooked but double-check.) Add in the couscous and stir well. The couscous will be a little gummy which is possibly due to my cooking method and not steaming it as directed. Garnish with more fresh parsley if you wish. You can also add grilled chicken or tofu to this if you want more protein like I usually do.
Squash Couscous Yield: 9 cups of couscous + a good amount of veggies for 4 people Recipe and method adapted from the recipe on Canadian Living *Note: Due to preference and feeding two people versus 6, I suggest cutting the couscous, chicken stock and water in half. If you LOVE couscous or have a lot of people to feed, keep the recipe as is!
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb (one medium large) butternut squash, peeled and chopped in 2 inch cubed
2 large zucchini, sliced into 2 inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups ( 1 15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 c chicken bullion paste for chicken stock 8 cups water 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric 4 cups Israeli couscous ( I only had 3 cups, so I added one cup of the golden small couscous additional parsley to garnish
Directions Wash and chop the zucchini and butternut squash. Don’t forget to de-seed the squash. Lay out on aluminum foil on a baking sheet and roast at 450 for 30-45 minutes. Turning every 10 -15 min. Wash the couscous and set aside.
Chop the onion and fry it on the stove with some olive oil in a large stock pot. Set aside in a large bowl which you’ll use to mix up the rest of the ingredients. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the bowl, along with the raisins and some more parsley (to taste). Add the zucchini and butternut squash to this bowl once they’re browned on all sides.
Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in the large stock pot you used for the onions. Stir in the 1/4 cup of bullion, parsley, ginger, pepper, salt, and turmeric. Let boil together for a few minutes. Add the couscous and let it come back to a boil. Be sure to stir it all up every few minutes. Cook until the couscous soaks up the broth and get’s to a consistency you like.
Add the couscous to your large bowl with the onions, raisins and chickpeas, zucchini and butternut squash and stir. Garnish with additional parsley if you wish.
Tonight we’re eating this with some delicious bone in pork chops that are currently brining, but you can serve with grilled chicken, boiled eggs, firm tofu, or grilled steak. The options are endless!
It’s always so fun to do a little “take out” and explore what others in the food blogging community are posting and eating. One of my favorite blogs to look at is Buried Carrots. We’re not vegetarians but we try to minimize our meat, and Karen is so wonderful at illustrating the delicious meat-free food options that abound!
I love Karen’s writing and photographs! They’re so inviting, comfortable, and inspiriting. Her writing style makes me feel like were curled up at a coffee shop chatting the day away. Her food photography always makes me hungry. Stopping by her blog always brightens my day! She eats well, lives well and inspires others to do the same! With great pleasure and joy, I give you….KAREN!!!!
My Bio: I’m a freelance Photographer and Writer with a passion for vegetarian and vegan cooking. Currently my work can be viewed online at my three blogs: Buried Carrots is devoted to colorful writing and delicious vegetarian and vegan food; Composing Kitchen focuses on my efforts, together with my partner, to follow our passions and design our lives; and Karen Milling Photography features my work as a portrait, headshot, wedding and food photographer.
Connect:
And for our interview…
What inspired you to start blogging?
I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions in the classic sense, but when each new year rolls around, I take some time to evaluate where I am in my life: what I’m happy with and what things I’d like to change. I try to set the tone for the coming year. (As a side note, I do the same thing on my birthday every year.) When I started my blog in January of 2011, my intention for the year was productivity. I wanted to try new things, to grow as a writer and photographer. I wanted to increase my self-confidence, be courageous and take risks. I already loved cooking and taking photos, but I had not been writing for a long time and wanted to start again. Creating Buried Carrots was a great way to bring all those things together.
This year my intention is expansion. I’m working very hard on growing my photography business as well as continuing to improve my skills and techniques. I’ve worked with several portrait and headshot clients and I shot my first wedding. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m building confidence and opportunity at every turn.
The Tagline
My original tagline was: “Uncovering the very best vegetarian and vegan food.” However, most of the feedback I received about the blog was that the food and photos were good, but the writing was great. So, in an effort to build on that strength, I changed the tagline to “Colorful writing, delicious food.”
My partner Carla says I have a gift for creating what she calls a “hook,” where I bring stories back around to whatever theme or image I began with. When I lived in Seattle I performed with Jet City Improv for a while. We often talked about reincorporation, in which an idea presented early on in an improvised scene is reincorporated later. It makes the audience feel so connected to what is going on because they are familiar with it. What perhaps didn’t stand out the first time around becomes delightful when recognized a second time. It works in writing too and in music, for that matter.
One last thing I’ll say about writing is that having a great editor is essential for me. I have the good fortune of having married a technical writer and editor (now composer and sound designer). She taught me to start by saying what I want to say when writing, and worry about the grammar and artfulness of it later. It is freeing to let go of trying to write the “perfect” thing and just write what I’m thinking and feeling without judgment. Then, with the help of an editor, I can go back and make things sound and look better. I would advise anyone struggling with writing to find someone they trust to read their work and give them advice and edits.
Have you always been vegan and vegetarian? What inspired this?
I have been a vegetarian since my 20s, so for about 15+ years. I never really liked meat as a child and gravitated toward chicken and turkey rather than red meat when I had a choice. Once I was older and able to cook for myself, I became a vegetarian, or “vegetarian lite.” I became the kind of vegetarian who still ate a BLT from time to time. But gradually as I learned more about food, cooking and nutrition, meat faded from my diet completely.
Ididn’t become a vegetarian for animal rights reasons, but I would say that now I feel quite strongly that animals shouldn’t be eaten or abused for their products. The eggs I eat come from the community garden where the chickens eat well, have plenty of space, and are well cared for (loved, that is). I try to buy the most responsibly produced diary products available: organic, from pasture-raised animals not treated with hormones. I don’t eat a lot of dairy, but I loooooooooove some cheese, so I do my best to make compassionate choices.
What would you say to those that are looking at becoming either vegan or vegetarian?
It doesn’t mean that you’ll eat salad all the time. The most frequent question I get from people curious about being vegetarian is, “What do you eat?” (Always asked with some level of exasperation.) And the answer is, everything — except meat. For example, right now, the leftovers in my fridge consist of polenta with grilled veggies, tomato sauce, and vegetarian sausage; a rice salad with peanuts, sesame seeds, chopped fresh vegetables and pineapple in a gingery soy dressing; quinoa and sweet potato chili; and white chocolate cherry scones. All vegetarian. The options are endless, wonderful, healthful and filling. Spending some time online or looking through some vegetarian cookbooks is a great way to get started, and a great way to get excited.
All of them are so fun to read and the pictures are lovely, but do you have a favorite of your blog posts?
I’m pretty fond of the first Valentine’s Day post I wrote about our cat Clementine. It’s a little clinical, but also lovely in its way. She has this extraordinary sweetness about her coupled with a sort of perpetual bewilderment that just melts your heart.
Do you do all of your own food photography? (How did you get started in photography?)
I do. I’ve always enjoyed photography. When I was a child and my mom got a new camera, I was the recipient of her old one and started taking pictures. I did take one semester of photography in college, but basically I’m self-taught. These days, the Internet is a great place to learn, and taking photos for the blog means I’m constantly honing my skills by practicing and practicing.
What superpower do you have? Party tricks count! Napping. I know it doesn’t accomplish much for the good of humankind, but I love to nap, and I’m REALLY good at it.
Items could you not live without OR What are 5 items you never leave home without are…
My iPhone. I hate to say it, but it’s true. It means I have a camera and editing tool with me all the time. It means that I can be creative at any given moment. With an iPhone, I don’t get lazy about making and editing photos — I have no excuse not to be creative with such a powerful tool in the palm of my hand. I take photos every day to keep that part of my mind sharp. I’m always composing photos, thinking about photos.
Lip Balm. I live in New Mexico, what can I say?
Water Bottle. See above. Between the altitude and the dry dry dryness, it’s essential.
My running shoes. Running is my way of meditating. Physical and mental stresses just melt away when I run. I feel stronger and more clear-minded after running.
A pen and paper (also read: my iPhone). I’m a list maker. I make lists of ideas and goals, lists of things I need to do, lists of places I want to go. Sometimes I’ll get just a snippet of a blog post in my mind. I write it down and refer back to it later.
Favorite food to eat?
Roasted green chile. In New Mexico we’re good at putting chile on almost anything. I love the sweet, smoky, spicy flavor of roasted green chile. In the late summer and early fall, truckloads of New Mexico chiles are roasted on the side of the road. It’s the most incredible fragrance I’ve experienced. The flavor matches that.
Coffee. I have to stick to decaf so I don’t ruin my superpower, but I love a good cup of coffee. I don’t get fancy that often with lattes or cappuccinos, but I love a dark, robust flavorful Americano.
Chocolate. Need I say more?
Strawberries. Strawberries are, hands down, my favorite fruit. I have them in a smoothie almost every day of the week.
Goat Cheese. I love it in salads, I love it on slices of crusty rustic bread, I love it paired with sweet things like figs, I love it.
To cook?
Pizza. We’ve been on a mission over the last few years to perfect our pizza cooking — both in the oven and on the grill. We’re constantly striving for the perfectly thin, balanced, crispy/chewy pizza crust. And we love getting creative with sauces and toppings. Pizza can be so sophisticated one day and so comforting the next.
Breakfast. Sometimes it’s pancakes or French toast. Sometimes it’s eggs. But we pretty regularly make breakfast together or for each other, and I love the time we spend doing it.
Ice cream and Sorbet. I recently got an ice cream maker and have really been enjoying creating some interesting sorbet and ice cream flavors.
Bread. In the fall and winter months I really like making breads. I enjoy the slow process and the warm comforting smell of freshly baked bread.
Soups and stews. These are the staples in our busy lives. Rarely is there a week without an interesting flavorful soup or stew ready to eat.
Someone’s having a rough day…what would you say?
I keep a fortune from a fortune cookie taped to my computer screen. It says, “Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.”
You get to choose your attitude. You may not always be happy with your situation and you may not always be able to change your situation right away, but you get to control how you react to it. You get to choose what kind of person you want to be and what kind of moment/day/life you’re going to have. So try to choose joy and compassion and love — for others, but just as importantly for yourself.
The obsession with Ratatouille started on our recent trip to Seville, Spain. We decided to meander the alleys and streets for the 30 minute walk from our flat to the city center . Bar Antigüedades caught my eye as an adorable little café from the exterior (of course…look at the photos!) and reading the menu board when we passed I made the mental note to come back for lunch. We did, and loved the Ratatouille SOOO much that we returned for dinner and had the exact same meal! It was so warm, hearty, tasty, flavorful and just… well… cozy! We ordered a bowl and cleaned and had I not ordered an actual meal I would have ordered another Ratatouille! As it was I had to refrain from licking the bowl since 1. it’s rude to do in public 2. we were sitting outside and I couldn’t sneak it 3. I’d be pegged as a ridiculous American for SURE! Three sadly legitimate reasons why I had to refrain from one last taste of the very miniscule remains of wonderful veggies. I vowed to make it once we got home.
Sevilla…where it all began
Of course, in order to make the dish I first had to find 15 recipes, make an entire Pintrest board devoted to my found ratatouille recipes (yes I’m that ridiculous organized..or maybe obsessive?). Of course I had to print out each recipe, lay them side by side, and pour over each minute difference and detail deciding which was the perfect recipe. Which was possibly closest to recreating the most incredibly wonderful cozy meal. My perfection was finally challenged by my need to make a grocery shopping trip and get ON with the actual MAKING of the dish so I picked one to use as a guideline because, and yes I’m a total girl, the picture looked the yummiest. The recipe that I landed on was posted on the blog A Lady in France.
A brief history of Ratatoulie. It is usually served as a side dish but can also be a main, which is how we eat it with some crusty potato bread. For protein, I usually poach an egg or sprinkle some cheese on the top.
The hardest part of this meal is letting it cook those last 30 minutes without devouring it from the pan! The house starts to smell of wonderful cooked vegetables and herbs.
Ratatouille Prep
Tips:
The Pan: be sure to use a large deep pan so that the heat and evenly distribute and cook
Saute each round of veggies VERY well! Once you add the tomato it’s really just melding of the flavors and not really “cooking”
Don’t go light on the canned tomatoes! This is what makes or breaks the consistency of the Ratatouille. If it seems like the stew is a bit dry add another can of tomates or a 25 oz jar of basil marinera sauce. You’ll realize the consistency within 5-8 minutes and you really need to add within the 5-8 minutes so the consistency and the flavors are able to meld correctly.
Cook all the veggies without a lid until you add the tomatoes. The veggies really need to breathe and have the heat to saute up.
Liquid: keep stirring to move the liquid around and assure that it’s not too liquidy. If it feels like it’s becoming more soupy than thicker stewey, turn the heat up and if it’s sticking to the pan turn the head down a bit.
Ratatouille
Cucina de Kate Ratatouille
½ large onion
2 tsp (heaping) minced garlic
drizzle of olive oil (to cook the onions/garlic)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 good sized eggplant, cut up in to chunks
4 small zucchini, cut up into chunks
1 ½ tbsp. herbs de province
few fresh basil leaf’s
1 ½ c. diced canned tomatoes (I sometimes add a 25oz jar of 365 tomato basil marinera sauce)
Instructions
Heat oil in your large pan while you chop the onions and garlic. Cook until translucent.
Chop and add peppers. When they start to look a little cooked, chop and add the eggplant in medium chunks. I like them a bit larger so they retain some form as opposed to getting a bit more mushy when they’re smaller.
Keep stirring the veggies in the pan until they eggplant starts to look a little cooked, then chop up and add the zucchini. Again, I liked keeping my chunks a bit larger to add to the stew-type texture and avoid a must consistency.
Once the zucchini starts to look like it’s a little cooked, add the herbs and chopped basil and assure it’s all mixed together well. Then add the tomatoes. At this point you’ll have to keep an eye and stir frequently but you can multi-task and just remember to stir every few minutes.
Keep stirring and cook for another 30 minutes (or so) until all the vegies are tender…and of course taste along the way!
Serve with a protein (egg or meat) and some rustic bread (or omit if you’re gluten-free)
Ratatouille for DinnerRatatouille with Rustic Bread
Dinner Table of Ratatouille with Rust Bread and Menage a Trios RedRatatouille with Rust Bread for
Birthdays are wonderful and they are especially for someone who LOVES to bake! Bakers invent holidays just for the opportunity to whip up some delicious treat! Growing up I was given the nickname “Martha Stewart” because I was the chick who showed up for every holiday with the corresponding cookie/treat. Gingerbread for Christmas, heart-shaped shortbread with pink and red frosting at for Valentines Day, Shamrock cookies and green frosting for St. Patty’s, Easter treats, May Day cookies, July 4th something-or-rather, Halloween trick or treat bags… Thanksgiving…Birthday’s Cupcakes…Picnic Pies and never white frosting after Labor Day!
Well, that was “back in the day” (am I even old enough to say that!?) before food allergies became so prevalent. Now, a baker must be VERY aware of those that might not be able to join in the sugary delicious consumption of a well-baked treat. Well, those bakers that want friends do!
It was a co-workers birthday a few weeks back and I immediately went into “Martha Mode”… “IF cupcakes just happened to show up on your desk what flavor would they be?” I inquired. “Not made by me” was the response…every bakers dream or dread! That is either the field of dreams to explore or a stress sentence of deciding what kind of baked good says what about you. Quickly I got over my female phobias (it’s true… women DO think of things like this!) and decided that I’d just make cupcakes that I’d be happy to take home if no one ate them.
Gluten & Dairy Free Vanilla Cupcakes Texture
Being mindful of both a gluten AND a dairy intolerance I quickly realized that I didn’t have a go-to cupcake recipe to suffice. So I did what any good, sound, logical baking blogger did and headed to Google! This recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and they were a HIT!!!! Not just… hey this doesn’t taste like a rotten breaded sardine but actually got compliments of “These are AMAZING!” Even the birthday boy was skeptical when I told him they were gluten-free (omitted the dairy free part…have to ease them into the idea you know) said they were, and I do directly quote, “DELICIOUS! I was worried when you said gluten-free but those are REALLY GOOOOOOOD!
I LIVE BY Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour for my gluten-free recipes so with that, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the ultimate go-to birthday baked good! It’s chewy and moist with the correct density and texture of a “real” cupcake while incorporating various intolerance’s. It’s pretty much amazing! I also love the other book from these authors and have it on the cookbook shelf, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.
“Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as… as… as a fiddler on the roof!”(Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof)
Oh, excuse me! I was just practicing my Fiddler on the Roof singing. In case you’re inspired to watch the intro video you can check it out here: Fiddler on the roof – Tradition.
But this outburst of song was inspired by the weekly taco Tuesday tradition that we have.This post was actually last weeks Taco Tuesday adventure but I got busy and figured I better get it up before tonight’s Taco Tuesday adventure (sneak peek: fish tacos are on the menu!). Our Tuesday tradition keeps menu planning simple and I love that I can pick up the ingredients on the weekend and just grab some fresh cilantro from the market on Monday/Tuesday (or heck even Sunday if I’m lazy!) and then everything’s pretty much ready to go when we get home. Because let’s be real, by the time you get home from work and get through chores/errands/working out/traffic/family/pets… the last thing you want to do is cook up some tedious elaborate meal! Well, maybe that’s just me so those of you that are with me… read on!
black bean and lime tacos
I am the more carnivorous eater in our house, but also dairy-free so we try to find meals that I can get excited about without featuring meat/dairy for the main protein focus. There are a few wonderful things about tacos. First, the word itself. Taco…ttaaccoooo…TACO! It’s just fun to say! But another very wonderful feature of the taco is that it’s the everyone food. A taco can literally be made that will please anyone! From the meat and potatoes crowd to the vegan or gluten-free eaters, a taco will always have your back. They can be (deep breath) meat free, vegetarian, gluten-free, meat focused, lactose free, diary free, corn free, (air), wheat-free, egg free, nut free, tree-nut free, soy free, fish free, paleo…they can LITERALLY feed ANYONE!
Another amazing thing about tacos is that you can make them with whatever is in the fridge! They can be as simple or elaborate as you desire! Paging through our new cookbook I received as a birthday present from our recent trip to Sonoma, I was remembering the wonderful pureed black beans from Elote Cafe. They…were…delicious!!! Between that and a ridiculous excess of limes in our house (I’m not sure why… maybe it has something to do with a reverse sock monster effect? Someone PUT limes in the fridge?! We also have a glasses gnome that sneaks in an puts their sticky little paws all over our glasses! But back to the point! We had a randomly large amount of limes and decided to use them up in this tasty taco Tuesday recipe! For texture, I pureed some of the beans and left some of them whole. And… since I’m obsessed with grilled corm we also did a few ears of corn!
So sit back, relax, maybe make yourself a delicious sommer sherpa and enjoy the tradition of taco Tuesday with us!! Stay tuned for tonight’s fish tacos recipe coming soon and let me know what your favorite taco recipes are! I’ll be featuring your suggestions in my Taco Tuesday Pintrest board!
chopped cilantro and jalapeno
Black Bean & Lime Tacos w/Grilled Corn
1 can black beans
1 spoon full minced garlic and juice
Cracked Salt & Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
2 limes, juiced (plus any additional wedges you want for garnish)
2 Ears Corn
Flour Tortillas (or corn for a gluten-free option)
Optional garnish/additions: Cheese, sour cream, grilled southwest cabbage slaw, avocado, Cilantro, jalapeño, chopped/grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, hot sauce/salsa, Elote, red peppers, radishes, fruit salsa
Soak the corn for 20 minutes then pre-heat the oven and wrap corn in foil and cook for 30 minutes. At that point I usually open up the foil and start to turn the corn every 5 minute to attain a good char. You can also use canned corn and heat on the stove if you’d like.
The beans usually take 10 minutes to prepare so when you’re ready heat the beans over the stove or in the microwave with the garlic, salt/pepper, cayenne pepper and juice of two limes. Once it’s thoroughly heated transfer to a vita mix blender and blend until creamy. You can also use an emulsion blender, potato masher, or food processor.
Slice the avocado and prepare the garnishes you desire
Heat the tortillas over open flame on the stove (or heat in the micro between two damp paper towels or in the oven wrapped in foil).
One of my favorite foods is broccoli. Studies show the health benefits of consuming broccoli include high amounts of vitamin C, which aids iron absorption in the body, folic acid and potassium as well as being fiber-rich. My favorite bar serves a dish called “Blasted Broccoli” and I sought to re-create this delicious favorite at home! I have been making this dish for a few years now have tried various methods of “greasing” these little florets; coating the cooking sheet with PAM or olive oil, tossing them in olive oil, brushing on olive oil with a an OXO Pastry Brush (if you don’t have one BUY IT!), trying to cook them with NO oil (BAD idea)… and they were always delicious but I could never quite get it PERFECT!
Mix up a little ramekin of olive oil and minced garlic
Lay broccoli out on cookie sheet flat side down and lightly brush with the olive oil and garlic then season the tops with cracked pepper and salt to taste
Cook in pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes, flip over and cook until your desired level of crispy is achieved (for us it’s usually another 10 minutes)
The way that I describe this dish, is a middle eastern version of fried rice. It’s a great meal the throw together and one that you can experiment with spices that you don’t likely use in your daily cooking. The original recipe calls for a steaming method of cooking, which is the traditional method. I neglected to read the directions before I started the recipe and didn’t think we even owned a steamer! Well, after I completely revamped the entire cooking method, I realized that we DO have a steamer so I guess I’ll try that next time!
