Moroccan Stew over Couscous

 

Serves 4 | Easy stovetop version with instant couscous

Ingredients For the Stew

• 1½ Tbsp olive oil

• ½ large onion, chopped

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp turmeric

(or substitute with ½ tsp ras el hanout)

• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

• Optional meat (choose one):

• 1½ to 2 cups cubed beef or lamb, raw

• 1½ to 2 cups cooked cubed chicken (added at the end only)

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and halved

• 1 medium turnip, peeled and quartered

• 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed

• 1 medium potato or sweet potato, peeled and cubed (optional)

• 1 small zucchini, cubed

• ¼ head of cabbage, cut into wedges

• 1 small tomato, peeled and chopped (or ½ cup canned diced tomato)

• ½ cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• ½ cup raisins

• ½ cup chopped dried apricots

• 4–5 cups water or low-sodium broth

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For the Couscous

• 1½ cups instant couscous

• 1½ cups boiling water or broth

• 1 Tbsp olive oil or butter

• ½ tsp salt

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Instructions

1. Make the Vegetable Stew

If using beef or lamb:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened.

3. Stir in beef or lamb along with ginger, black pepper, salt, and turmeric or ras el hanout.

4. Brown the meat for a few minutes, then continue below.

If using chicken:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and sauté until soft.

3. Stir in ginger, black pepper, salt, and turmeric or ras el hanout.

(Skip meat here; it will be added later.)

Then (for both versions):

4. Add carrots, turnip, pumpkin, and optional potato/sweet potato. Stir to coat with spices.

5. Add the chopped tomato and enough broth or water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

6. Add zucchini, cabbage, chickpeas, raisins, and apricots. Simmer another 10–15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

7. If using chicken, gently stir it in during the final 5 minutes to warm without shredding.

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2. Prepare the Instant Couscous

1. In a large bowl, combine couscous, olive oil or butter, and salt.

2. Pour in boiling water or broth. Stir once, cover, and let sit 5 minutes.

3. Fluff with a fork before serving.

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To Serve

• Mound couscous on a large platter.

• Spoon the vegetables and dried fruit over the top.

• Arrange meat on top or around the edges.

• Ladle some broth over the dish or serve it separately.

Zucchini Couscous Salad

 

Zucchini Couscous Salad

This delicious salad tastes good cold as a leftover. It is made with couscous and cooked zucchini.

Feeds: 4 people

Preparation Time:10 minutes

Cooking Time:15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup chopped red onions
• 1 big zucchini — sliced and fried in olive oil and garlic
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• fresh parsley leaves 
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes — cut in half
• 1 tsp green onion
• 3 tbsp white cheese like feta
• 1/3 cup homemade vinaigrette of olive oil, squeezed lemon, basil, salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, pour 1 1/4 cup boiling water (boiled with vegetable or chicken bullion base) over the couscous.
2. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and set aside to let cool for 5 minutes more. Add fresh parsley leaves.
4. In a medium bowl, gently toss the zucchini with 1 tbs olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook over a grill or in a frying pan. Use fresh crushed garlic and red onion in frying pan.
5. Turn zucchini occasionally, until it is browned and softened but not mushy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
6. In the same dish used to cook the couscous, add zucchini and cheese and tomatoes. (Add green onion if you like onion.) Stir well adding the vinaigrette. Homemade vinaigrette is made from olive juice, squeezed lemon, and basil. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you think it is necessary. Serve immediately or cold as a leftover.

Nutrition Information

Amount per serving (1/4) — Calories: 220, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 392mg, Potassium: 184mg, Carbohydrates: 16g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 4g, Vitamin A: 12%, Vitamin C: 6%, Calcium: 5%, Iron: 2%

Recipe: Moroccan CousCous with Beef

Original recipe makes 8 servings

2 pounds of beef steak or roast

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

 1 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

 1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

 2 zucchinis and/or yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 3/4 inch pieces

 1/2 cup golden raisins

 1 teaspoon kosher salt

 grated zest of one orange

 1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups of beef broth

 1/2 cup orange juice

 1 1/2 cups couscous

 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Optional: turnip, carrots, and potatoes

Cut the beef into bite sized cubes. Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil. Brown the beef with crushed garlic cloves. Then add 2 cups of beef broth. Turn heat down to simmer after the broth boils.  Simmer for 2 hours.

After two hours, in another pan stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Add to beef. Add in optional potatoes, carrots, and turnip. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.

Pour 1 ½ cups of beef broth and orange juice into a third pan; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and fold in chopped mint.

Calories: 430 for 1 cup

7 Push-Up Mistakes You're Probably Making

By Tony Horton

There's a lot more to push-ups than getting on all fours and moving up and down. And knowing the proper technique is important: It'll reduce your risk of injury, improve core strength, and burn more calories. Make note of these common mistakes, then visit pushupsforcharity.com to see how doing push-ups can also help veterans nationwide.

The problem: Your butt rises
Push-ups are a great ab exercise, but this is a clear indication that you're not engaging your core.
The fix: Engage your glute muscles by squeezing the cheeks together. This will helplower your butt and raise your lower back.

The problem: Your back looks more like a hammock and less like a board
Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
The fix: Raise your low back toward the ceiling while simultaneously tilting your pelvic bones in the direction of your upper body.

The problem: Improper arm placement
Lots of people place their hands too far forward, which puts strain on the shoulder joints, making it difficult to comfortably engage the buttocks, low back, and abdominal area.
The fix: Your arms need to be straight up and down like a pillar holding up a building, allowing the bones in both arms to better support the weight of your body.

The problem: Poor head alignment
This happens when the chin and jaw are too close to your chest during the exercise.
The fix: Try to imagine a grapefruit-size space between your chin and upper chest, which will align your spine and relieve pressure from your neck muscles.

The problem: Dead legs
Most people think that their legs are just along for the ride. Not true.
The fix: To achieve more muscle recruitment and better alignment during a push-up, it's important to push the backs of your knees toward the ceiling and your heels toward the floor, while flexing your quadriceps ever so slightly.

The problem: You're holding your breath
This one is obvious, but quite often the most overlooked. It's difficult to do anything well while holding your breath.
The fix: Don't force it—just make sure you're exhaling on the way up and inhaling on the way down like you would breath naturally. No yoga-style exhales here.

The problem: You're only doing half a push-up
Far too often people don't go low enough or high enough, but you can't improve or get stronger doing a half push-up.
The fix: Try to straighten your arms at the top of every push-up and be conscious that your upper arms/triceps are at least parallel to the floor at the bottom, creating a 90-degree angle with your elbows.

For more from Tony Horton, check out tonyhortonlife.com
For more information go to Fitness