little gi

You've Gotta Try it: Garden Vegetable Couscous

I wish I had a better photo of this delish dish to share with you...but it was gobbled up in a flash.  Yesterday when I pulled out the precious 2 tablespoons leftover for a little snack, it hit me...I've got to share this on the blog!  It is just too delish! (& too easy peasy too :) 

I had pulled the recipe from a Martha Stewart Living Magazine about 15 years ago and it has remained a favorite ever since. The recipe calls for regular couscous, but I used Israeli couscous this time because that is what I had on hand.  The texture of the Israeli couscous is plenty different & also needs a bit more cooking time, but it is sooooo good so if you've got it, I'd definitely recommend it.  15 years ago, I used to get my Israeli couscous at a middle eastern wholesaler on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, but these days I get it from my local market in a big jar. 

We ate our couscous on a bed of fresh spinach with shrimp & scallop cakes (also from our local market, they've got a fabulous seafood department).  seriously YUM!

so here ya go!  enjoy!!!

Garden Vegetable Coucous

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 small bell pepper diced (I used yellow this time b/c they were on sale at my market)

4 small scallions (white & green parts only) sliced nice & thin

1 small tomato seeds removed & diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

a little over 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about a 1/2 of a lemon, depends on your lemon)

Kosher Salt & Pepper

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1.  Prepare your couscous according to the package directions.  Set the warm couscous aside.

2.  At the bottom of the bowl you will be serving the dish in, whisk together the olive oil & lemon juice.  Add Kosher salt & peper to your taste.

3.  Add all your veggies & parsley to your bowl, then add your warm couscous.

3.  Toss everything together so every bit gets some dressing & enjoy!

happy thursday!

xoxo

gi

 

Howdy!!!

 

we just got back from a week in Santa Fe, NM visiting Mike's parents.  whew!  it was HOT!  but we all had a lot of fun.  i think one of the highlights for everyone was the Santa Fe Rodeo.  whoa!  we were right up in the action with horses & bulls crashing by at break neck speeds. totally crazy...

a definite highlight for me was getting finally meet the wonderful Mandie (of moxiemandie) & her adorable & sweet husband, Gabe.  *sigh* i wish so much that NY wasn't so far away so we could hook up for a cup of coffee & a chat more often.  I had such a great time cruising around the Santa Fe Farmers Market & artists market & breakfasting with them.  they both are as sweet as can be!!

now to maybe finally get these bags unpacked!

happy Tuesday!!

xoxo

gi

you've got to try this...

last week was H.O.T.  one of those unbearably humid & sticky & UGH hot weeks.  & without central airconditioning, I needed some sort of gameplan for meals since even turning on the stovetop is unthinkable.

so I settled in my favorite chair on my deck, grabbed a bunch of cookbooks & set upon finding some ideas for meals that would be easy, healthy &, most importantly, NOT require any oven. 

the one thing that I think really helped last week was having grilled chicken on hand in the fridge.  grilled chicken is SO versitle & delish....and easy.  so first things, first...I marinated a huge bunch of boneless chicken breasts in Brianna's Santa Fe dressing & grilled them.  armed with grilled chicken set at the ready in the fridge, my cookbook scouring mission now had some direction.

I found a simple recipe in my Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home and gave it a try. SO good!  we will definitely be making this again & again. in order to make it more of a "meal" rather than just a salad, I adapted it a bit, adding my grilled chicken (just diced it up), some crumbled goat cheese (no feta in the fridge this time) and served it all over a bed of fresh spinach.  it was SOOOOOO good & made enough for Mike & I for dinner and then a serving leftover for my lunch the next day.  super super yummy.  the Moosewood recipe also called for Calamata olives.  I didn't have any on hand, but will definitely try next time, I love olives.  & now come to think of it...chick peas would be delicious added in too.

so here's the recipe, enjoy!!!

Greek Diced Vegetable Salad

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced

1 large ripe tomato, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 scallion, finely sliced or minced

2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon (or more to taste)

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 Tablespoons minced fresh oregano

diced grilled chicken, about 2 grilled chicken cutlets

salt & pepper

spinach or romaine leaves

crumbled goat or feta cheese

Combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, scallions, parsley, oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano  olives in a large bowl.  Add diced grilled chicken, salt & pepper, toss well.  Although you can serve the salad immediately, it is even better if it sits for about 30 minutes before serving. 

Mound the salad on spinach or lettuce leaves.  Top with crumbled goat cheese or feta and enjoy!!

Note:  The salad will keep better if the cheese is added right before serving & not mixed in.

bon appetit!!!

xoxo

gi

meal planning monday...

After spotting a bunch of meal planning monday posts this morning, I'm totally jumping on the bandwagon.

We've got a jam-packed week this week & I'm hoping this exercise will help ward off that blank stare at 6:30pm thing I get when I realize I've got to feed them....AGAIN...

also, the end of the week is looking like it will be hot as Hades up here so I'm sure I won't even want to turn on the stove top.  so here is what I'm thinking:

Monday:  Shredded Tex-Mex Crockpot Chicken make your own tacos

Tuesday:  Tuna Salad Hoagies/Sandwiches & macaroni Salad

Wednesday:  Grilled Shrimp, Lemon Orzo with Spinach & Tomato and Spinach Salad

Thursday:  Pasta with Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil

Friday:  BBQ Drumsticks, Asian Slaw with Ginger-Peanut Dressing and Watermelon slices

Now to make out the shopping list & get some of this stuff in the works! 

Happy Monday!

xoxo

gi

old dog still truckin' & surprising herself in the meantime...

Last week I did something I NEVER in a million years thought I could do.....

I ran 5 miles.

5.miles. For me, this was a major accomplishment & a challenge surmounted.  So on cloud 9, feeling like superwoman, I pulled out my phone & snapped a quick photo for my continuing 52 week project. 

Now my next challenge is a 10K on June 12th. 

Life Is good :)

Happy Friday!!

xoxo

gigi