EPISODE 74

Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous, is actually a pasta. If, however, you’d like to make this dish with a gluten free grain or pasta, that would be delish too! While the ingredients in this pesto might seem odd, it’s actually incredibly satisfying, just like typical Genovese pesto, although the Italians would probably sue me for saying that. I’ll leave it up to you to make the call once you’ve tried it. If you don’t want to make such a large serving size (as it makes enough to serve around 10 people), feel free to half the amount of couscous and veggies, but you should make the same amount of pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays or silicon muffin tray. You can also keep the pesto in the fridge for up to a week, and enjoy with everything: baked potatoes, cooked grains, pasta, steamed veggies, in a salad dressing, etc.

Ingredients – Kale Pesto

• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• 1 medium head kale, de-ribbed and torn into pieces
• ¾ cup mint
• ½ olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• Salt & pepper

Instructions – Kale Pesto

Toast the walnuts in a small pan until lightly browned (5-10 mins). Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the kale for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Drain and squeeze dry. Place all the ingredients into a food processor: toasted walnuts, cooked kale, mint, garlic, ginger, lemon zest & juice, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Wooj until smooth.

Ingredients – Sautéed Veggies

• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 peppers, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Salt & pepper

Instructions – Sautéed Veggies

Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the cauliflower and water, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, around 5-10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients: olive oil, zucchini, peppers, and salt and pepper, and cook until the veggies are lightly crispy and deliciously tender, around 10 minutes.

Ingredients – Israeli Couscous

• 2 cups Israeli couscous, rinsed well
• 4 cups water
• Small pinch of salt

Instructions – Israeli Couscous

Place all ingredients into a medium pan, cover and place on high heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat. Cook until the water is absorbed and the pasta is fully cooked through, around 15 minutes.

Instructions – Assembly

Combine everything in a massive bowl and enjoy hot or cold! This will stay good in the fridge for around 4 days.