You may never cook couscous in water again. Here, it’s “cooked” in tomatoes for a heart-friendly dinner that’s high in soluble fibre and cancer-protective lycopene.
SERVES 2
Ingredients
75g (2½oz) wholewheat couscous
227g (8oz) can chopped tomatoes, a good-quality brand
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
handful of chives, finely snipped
freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado
zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 large field mushrooms
30g (1oz) dukkah seed mix
30g (1oz) rocket leaves, to serve
1 Put the couscous in a medium bowl with the chopped tomatoes and olive oil, and give them a good stir to coat all of the grains. Add the chives and a good seasoning of freshly ground black pepper. Stir and set aside for 10–15 minutes.
2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Meanwhile, halve the avocado and remove the stone. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and put it in a bowl with the lemon zest and juice, mashing it all together to make a smooth paste.
3 Discard the mushroom stalks and place the mushrooms, stalk-side upwards, on a lightly greased baking tray.
4 When the couscous has softened, divide it between the four mushrooms, filling each well, and levelling the top with the back of the spoon. Next, spread the mashed avocado over the top of the couscous, repeating for all the mushrooms. Sprinkle the mushrooms with dukkah seeds so that the tops are well covered.
5 Pop the tray in the oven for 15–20 minutes until the mushrooms have cooked through, but not softened completely. Serve with the rocket leaves.
NUTRITION PER SERVING Calories 511 Total fat 34.4g Saturated fat 5.8g Carbohydrates 36.3g Dietary fibre 12g Sugars 7.4g Protein 12.8g Salt 0.3g
Smart swaps
• Swap the mushrooms for halved orange peppers or beef tomatoes, scooping out the insides and filling with the couscous mix as before. You’ll get a good hit of antioxidant vitamin C, which is good news for boosting collagen to keep skin looking smooth and line free.
• For a protein boost, swap the couscous for quinoa. Cook it according to packet instructions, then mix with the chopped tomatoes, olive oil, chives, and pepper.
NUTRIENT KNOW-HOW
Tomatoes and avocados are perfect partners in both nutrition and taste. Chopping and cooking the tomatoes, as here, releases the lycopene, and the fats in the avocado help the body absorb lycopene.