Online Personal Trainer Healthy Recipe Mediterranean Breakfast Couscous

Healthy Recipe, Mediterranean Breakfast Couscous

If you’re hankering for an energizing, delicious switch from your breakfast routine, Suzy Karadsheh has just the thing in “The Mediterranean Dish” — couscous! We normally think of the teeny grain-like pasta as a base for a savory stew or side dish for bold-flavored kebabs, but couscous can also stand in as a healthier alternative to sugary cereal, as this adaptation of her recipe demonstrates. Serves 4. – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ cups Moroccan instant couscous
• 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar (or to taste)
• ½ to 1 cup chopped, toasted nuts (walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds)
• ½ to 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, chopped apricots, sliced dates)
• ½ cup sweetened or unsweetened flaked coconut (optional)
• Whole milk, almond milk, or another nondairy alternative, warmed
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the couscous, stir, immediately turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let the pan sit undisturbed for 10 minutes, allowing the couscous to absorb the water and double in size. Fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, melt the ghee or butter over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and allow it to toast for 3 to 5 minutes, flattening with a spatula and stirring until the grains crisp up a bit and slightly deepen in color.
3. Remove from the heat and place a scoop of toasted couscous in each cereal bowl. Sprinkle each with brown sugar, nuts, dried fruit, and coconut (if using).
4. Pour some warm milk over and dig in. Add a sprinkling of salt if you like.

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.