ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND GARBANZO COUSCOUS With BALSAMIC CANDIED WALNUTS

                                                    “I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is two weeks”- Totie Fields
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Do you love crazy scary rides?

We were in Disney for the weekend.
We ate Churros, Mickey Ice creams, cheesy pasta, frozen lemonade and a lot in between. I am not even making  up what I ate, it was a little too much. I feel stuffed and not so a little guilty to have eaten my way to happiness. Now, I fear the scale. Why am I only talking about food, we were in  Disney right???…

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 The boys rode crazy rides many times and I stood by, 1. feeling too full, 2.feeling too scared.  In reality big scary rides scare me more than it used to, wonder why?? I used to be a daredevil, bungee jumping, even sky diving but a 100 foot ride just churns me up from inside even without sitting on the ride.

Food looked better than the rides to me.The churros were so good, warm, lightly crispy on the outside, sorta chewy and soft on the inside with cinnamon sugar dusted all over it,…wow, I sure miss those.

Back to some healthy stuff..
I can’t live without a good spice blend, I’ve been using this one from couple of weeks on vegetables and sweet potatoes, I do like it. To wake up the flavors, I try to add some fresh herbs and some lemon juice. It is a nice blend to have. No, they didn’t pay me, although I wished they did:).

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I  enjoy cauliflower in any form but I’m sure you are with me on roasting them. Roasting just brings out the best in them.

I tossed in some garbanzo beans while roasting cauliflower and it was perfect. Had to have some crunch, so,  made some BALSAMIC CURRIED WALNUT and tossed everything with some couscous, which I cooked in some vegetable stock.  To make this even more perfect, lightly shredded some Parmesan cheese. It was delicious and I would consider this healthy compared to my bread and cheese lunch couple of days ago.

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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS 

2 cups pearl couscous
1 cup vegetable stock               
1 1/2 cup of water
1/2 large head of cauliflower florets
1 cup garbanzo beans( I used canned, drained very well)
1 tsp of any spice blend(use any of your own spices, if you don’t have this)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp of freshly grated Parmesan
2 tbsp Balsamic candied walnuts for garnish
cilantro for garnish.

Method:

1. Add pearl couscous with water and vegetable stock and add 1/2 salt and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed. Then cover and let sit for 5 minutes and fluff it up with a fork.
2. When the couscous is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the cauliflower florets, garbanzo beans, curry powder, spice blend, 1/2 tsp of salt and oil.  Toss it well and put it on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, making sure the cauliflower doesn’t overcook. Once it exits the oven, squeeze some lemon juice for a fresh taste.
3. Assembly.  In a large bowl, add cooked couscous and roasted veggies and toss it in.  Add the candied walnuts, some shaved or grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

BALSAMIC CANDIED WALNUTS:
(adapted from Epicurious)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup walnuts

In a non stick pan, add balsamic vinegar, sugar and bring it to a simmer.  Let the sugar dissolve, add the walnuts and let it simmer until thick and every walnut is coated well, making sure it doesn’t burn.  Take it out on a wax sheet and cool.  Bread it to pieces and use it on any salad or just as a topping.

ENJOY!! 

Category : Entree, HEALTHY COOKING, International Cuisine, Pasta, VEGETARIAN