Couscous baskets with vegetables and paprika with MARTINO’s whole wheat Couscous

After a long day at work, you might want to treat yourself with a good meal. However, be careful eating a lavish dinner results in ‘fat hangover’! A large, high-sugar or high-fat meal at night overloads your digestive system and prevents your body from getting adequate rest through the night. So, how can we nourish our body without discounting in taste and pleasure?

The key here is to maintain a balance. Eat a light, healthy, carb-included, small dinner every night and see how easily you fall asleep. You’ll wake up happy, fresh and full of life the next day. Let us propose a healthy and light recipe that will awaken your taste buds. The Martino Couscous baskets with vegetables and paprika are easy to prepare and will leave you full and satisfied.

Recipe by Giallo Zafferano’ Simona Novarini

 

Here is how to prepare the Martino Couscous baskets with vegetables and paprika

Servings: 4 baskets
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For the couscous baskets:

• 150 grams of Martino whole wheat Couscous
• 150 ml of water
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 egg
• 40-50 grams of grated Parmesan cheese

For the filling:

• 1 red onion
• 1 carrot
• 160 grams of seared peas
• 50 grams of dried tomatoes in oil
• 100 grams of scalded asparagus
• 1 teaspoon of strong paprika
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Hydrate the Couscous:
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add 150 ml of water, 1 teaspoon of salt and tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and bring everything to a simmer.

When already simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and add 150 grams of Martino’s whole wheat Couscous. Cover with a lid and let the couscous sit for 4-5 minutes until the water is completely absorbed and the couscous is fully hydrated.

Fluff with the help of a fork and let the couscous cool down.

Prepare the vegetables for the filling:
To begin, in a saucepan with salted, boiling water toss the peas and the asparagus. Cook until vegetables are tender, but still slightly al dente, for about 8 minutes. When ready drain and cut the asparagus in chunks of equal length.

Slice the onion finely. Cut the dried tomatoes into small pieces and peel the carrot.

In a non stick pan add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil; add the onion, the peas, the asparagus, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of strong paprika. Cook for about 15 minutes stirring constantly.

Prepare the couscous baskets:
Once the couscous has cooled, add the egg, the grated Parmesan cheese and mix everything well. It is now time to shape the couscous baskets.

Place parchment paper inside 4 small baking dishes. It is better if you have soaked the parchment paper in water, as it will adhere better to the dish.

With the help of a spoon add a small amount of the couscous mix inside the baking dishes, you need enough to cover the inner surface and form a couscous basket.

You are now ready to bake the baskets. Place the four baking dishes in a preheated oven at 210°C for about 15-20 minutes. When ready the couscous will take a beautiful golden color. Let the baskets cool down for a few minutes before removing them from the dishes.

Serving:
Take your crunchy couscous baskets and fill them with the sautéed vegetables and add few pieces of dried tomatoes.

With the help of a vegetable peeler cut 4 ribbons of the carrot. Roll each one on itself very tightly to create a little rose-like flower. Finally, place it in the middle of your couscous basket for a touch of elegance.

When you feel like you have free time, prepare some more couscous baskets and save them for another time. Keep them in container and place them in a dry place: they will really come in handy when you need a light dinner.

Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter to receive all the delicious Martino’s couscous recipes directly in your inbox!

You can use these crunchy couscous baskets to serve any type of salad. They are perfectly combined with Caesar Salad. However, if you feel like you want to experiment, try making the baskets with a fruit salad. Just remember to replace the salt with a tablespoon of sugar when hydrating the couscous and add some dried coconut flakes instead of Parmesan cheese.

Which one of your favorite salads would you serve in the couscous baskets? Leave a comment to tell us. We always enjoy reading new combinations!