Breakfast Couscous

Today's creating started early. I cooked a delicious breakfast, with enough to spare for a couple of days. Lately, I have been loving the recipes in Gourmet Vegetarian Feasts: An International Selection of Appetizing Recipes for All Occcasions by Martha Rose Shulman. Shulman is a former food editor for Cosmopolitan and winner of The Tastemaker Award. This book is from 1990, and I am not sure where I bought it but I LOVE it. It has simple gourmet recipes that taste delicious without having to slave or learn a whole new set of skills before even beginning. I will be sharing more from this cookbook in the future.


This morning I made Couscous with Honey and Fruit. This recipe can easily be adapted to be vegan if you replace or omit the butter, honey(use maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup), and yogurt. I made a few adaptations from the original recipe while I have noted with a * and paranthesis. I try to use organic whenever possible.

Couscous with Honey and Fruit
By Martha Rose Shulman
Serves 4

1 cup couscous* (I used a mix of organic white and whole wheat couscous)
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon butter
1 apple, cored & chopped
1 pear, cored & chopped
3 Tablespoons water or apple juice* (I didn't have apple juice so I used 2 T water & 1 T applesauce)
1 Tablespoon honey* (I used buckwheat honey)
4 Tablespoon raisins* (I used golden raisins)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg* (I had to use regular nutmeg from the bulk store)
Plain low fat yogurt & additional honey for topping


1) place couscous in a bowl and pour on the water. Let sit 10-15 minutes or until soft.


2)Heat the butter in a frying pan (I use cast iron) and add apple and pear. Saute a few minutes, then add water or apple juice, honey, raisins, and spices. Cook, stirring over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes.


3) Stir in couscous and heat throughly, stirring. Remove from heat and serve, topping with yogurt, and if you wish, additional honey.

This is delicious, and easy to make ahead and reheat again, which is always nice for a fast but healthy breakfast.