israeli couscous with fruit & herbs

okay, mofos, i've been saving up this post specifically for today, to kick off vegan mofo with a bang. sadly, i don't have any pictures of this amazing dish, because every time i've made it, i've inhaled it pretty much instantly. i will try to remedy this in the future, but for now, just try to use your imagination and Trust Me On This.

a couple of months ago, i went to girls night with a few high school friends, and was treated to this amazing veganized dish, adapted from a giada delaurentiis recipe. i was excited but nervous, because it contained a few things i wouldn't normally put in the same bowl (or, let's face it, eat at all), but i was really touched by the veganizing effort (and emboldened by the claim that it was a huge favorite at their house already). anyhow, when it came time for tasting, it turns out that i needn't have worried, because it is RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. for reals. make this and eat it. it's delicious warm, when you first make it… it's delicious cold, like it's probably meant to be eaten… it's delicious room temperature, when you take it out of the fridge and forget to eat it right away (although i can't imagine that happening). in other words, you cannot go wrong. i repeat: make this and eat it.

israeli couscous with fruit & herbs

couscous:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups israeli couscous (also called middle eastern couscous–the big stuff!)

4 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 medium green apple, diced

1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

1/2 cup slivered (or roughly chopped) almonds, toasted

vinaigrette:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

directions:

toast the almonds in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally. you want them to be fragrant and slightly browned. this takes about 6 or 7 minutes, so do this first, then set the almonds aside to cool completely while prepping the rest of your ingredients [chopping the apple, cranberries, & herbs].

for the couscous: in a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3-5 minutes. add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed. transfer the couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool [or not–i usually stir everything together and just eat it warm!]. add the parsley, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, and almonds.

for the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. whisk in the olive oil until smooth. pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

enjoy!