Cheesy Couscous and Peas

Cheesy Couscous and Peas

Hello!

It is no secret that I love couscous – luckily this is something we all love!

Lochlan, couscous is one of your favorite foods by far. I am always trying out new ways to add it to our meals. I love how easy and quick it is to make and how it can be tweaked or twisted to fit just about any style of meal.  As a simple side dish it just doesn’t get any better than couscous.

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This particular way of preparing couscous with the addition of the sweet peas and the salty Parmesan make it AMAZING. It’s warm, creamy, and perfect alongside a simple chicken breast or pork chop!

If you forget the added butter and cheese, you can even tell yourself that couscous is healthy! According to this great food blog, The Science of Eating:

 A 1 cup serving of couscous provides 43 mcg of selenium, or 61% of the 70 mcg daily value. This is a trace mineral that the body needs in small quantities, acting as an antioxidant and protecting healthy cells from the mutating effects of toxins that change the DNA and structural composition, leading to disease and premature aging.

The potassium in couscous provides important functions, such as regulating blood pressure and the heartbeat. Potassium helps control fluid balance, an important factor in blood pressure regulation. It also assists with muscle contractions, and because the heart is a muscle, it requires potassium to prevent arrythmias, or irregularities of the heartbeat. A 1 cup serving of couscous provides 91mg of potassium, or 39% of the 3,500 mg the FDA recommends to get daily.

Not bad for a super tiny golden ball of delight!

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Cheesy Pearl Couscous and Peas

Adding sweet, tender green peas and salty, creamy Parmesan cheese to the toasted couscous makes this a really easy and tasty side dish that works great with almost everything!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Canadian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup pearl couscous
  • 2 cups broth chicken, beef or vegetable will work.
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese fresh, not the dried kind you find on the grocery store dry goods shelf.
  • 2 sliced green onions. both green and white parts.

Instructions
 

  • Such easy ingredients to assemble!
  • Heat butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add couscous, saute until golden. Make sure you watch and stir all the time. All you want to do is toast the couscous to help give it a deeper, nuttier flavor.
  • Once you have toasted the couscous add the broth (I used beef broth this time).
  • Bring it to a grumpy boil. You want to keep it at a slow rolling boil until almost all of the water has been absorbed.
  • Add the sliced green onions
  • Add the frozen green peas
  • Remove from heat and cover. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Remove lid and fluff with a fork. Add the cheese and stir to mix.
  • It's ready! Talk about simple, eh?
  • ENJOY!!!!

2 Comments

  1. Nancy Whitford

    Hi l made this so good !
    Also made with brocolii .
    Instead peas .
    Very good too .

    • What a great idea to use broccoli! I will have to try that, it sounds yummy!

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