Chickpea And Vegetable Couscous Recipe

Ingredients

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 fennel bulb, cut into ½-inch wedges

1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 yellow summer squash, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 plum tomatoes, cut into large chunks

1 cup canned chickpeas

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup whole-wheat couscous

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Preparation

Combine the spices (coriander through cayenne pepper) and set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil at medium-high. Sauté carrots and bell pepper for about 5 minutes, or until slightly soft. Add fennel, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, chickpeas, and spices. Cook for 5 more minutes. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. In a small saucepan, bring 1 ¼ cups of water to a boil. Add couscous, stir, and remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Place couscous in a serving dish and top with vegetables and broth. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Tips:

No time to go to the store? You can substitute brown rice for the couscous or kidney beans for the chickpeas. For extra crunch, top with 2 tablespoons of toasted pumpkin seeds