Sometimes while Owen eats lunch, we make funny faces. On this particular day, I was making a funny grunting sound and he was trying to mimic it - my personal favorite is the first picture. It shows his little quirky personality. I LOVE this phase!!!
We have been down for the count this week. Well, actually, I have been down and Owen has really been a trooper! He's been great at entertaining himself with his tractors, cars, blocks and new fire truck from "Gamma" Di. Occasionally this sick momma has allowed a little Thomas or Elmo so that I can rest my eyes!
I did rally for a bit yesterday and made a yummy dinner for the Jman and me. He has been working really hard and combined with first trimester blahs/head cold, we've been having too much take out! So I made a yummy, fresh, couscous dish that was even Owen approved! Now, it has a bunch of steps and takes a bit of time for a "salad" - but it is TOTALLY WORTH IT! I warned J that if it wasn't fabulous it would be the one and only time I make it. Well, I will be making this one over and over again, despite the time commitment!
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| This was my left over lunch serving and I wasn't feeling the chicken, so I added a few more beans. However, I did eat the chicken the night before and it was delish! |
Couscous Salad with Grilled Chicken and Spicy Mustard Vinaigrette
Adapted from
Zov, Recipes and Memories from the Heart
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serves12 to 14 ~ (I cut it by 2/3s when I made it!)
Vinaigrette
6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Chicken and Couscous Salad
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
7 Tbsp olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pound Israeli couscous*
2 large onions, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into 3/4 inch lengths and blanched 30 seconds**
4 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/3 inch pieces and blanched for 2 minutes
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced diagonally and blanched for 30 seconds
2 red bell peppers and 2 yellow bell peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into strips
(I roasted mine by cutting in half, pulling out the seeds and membranes and broiling for about six minutes, skin side up. I then popped them in a ziplock to steam them a bit and peeled most of the skin off!)
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup golden raisins or currants
(As this is a recipe from a Middle Eastern inspired cookbook, of course there are golden raisins! LOVED the sweet pop in every other bite!)
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
(If you have an aversion to olives, I get it. However, the Kalamata olives added a wonderful saltiness to the dish that might be lacking if left out - just take note that you may need salt if you leave them out!)
Instructions
1) To make the vinaigrette: Mince the garlic in a food processor
(I didn't want to dirty one more hand wash only instrument, so I used my garlic press and threw everything in a bowl and whisked it. I bet the vinaigrette would have emulsified better if I had...). Blend in the vinegar, mustard, salt, seasoned salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Cover and refrigerate the vinaigrette.
2) To grill the chicken: Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat. Whisk the garlic, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl to blend. Rub on the chicken breasts. Grill the chicken until they are just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
(I did this on my grill pan and made the mistake of not evening out my chicken breasts - be sure to use a meat mallet and even them out or cooking time may vary!) Transfer chicken to a platter and refrigerate until it is cold. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into thin slices. Cover and refrigerate the chicken.
3) To make the couscous salad: Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the couscous. Return the water to a boil and cook until it is al dent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Do not over-cook the couscous, since it will soften further as it cools. Drain the couscous well, then transfer to a large bowl, and toss it with 2 tablespoons of oil to coat. Cool to room temp.
(I used a box of Trader Joe's Israeli couscous and followed the directions on the box which were much more like cooking regular couscous.)
4) Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and saute until they are brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
(You may need to adjust the heat because you don't want the onions to cook too quickly or they won't caramelize, they will just burn.)
5) Add the onions, asparagus, carrots, zucchini, peppers, beans, and raisins to the coucous. The vinaigrette, chicken and couscous salad can be made up to this point at least 1 day ahead. Cover each separately and keep them refrigerated. Re-whisk vinaigrette before using.
6) Just before serving, toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl or platter. Arrange the sliced chicken atop the salad. Garnish with the olives and serve!
* Israeli couscous is larger than regular couscous, with a diameter about the size of black peppercorns. It is sometimes called pearl couscous. If you can't find it, you can substitute regular couscous or orzo.
** Blanching is the process of tenderizing veggies and brightening their colors. To blanch, simply bring a pot of water to a boil and dump the veggies in for the recommended time. Pull them out with a slotted spoon and immediately dunk them in ice water to stop the cooking process.
I LOATHE uncooked zucchini, so I was dubious that this would work. I was pleasantly surprised - loved blanched zucchini!
And one more funny "tape-o" (potato) head face!
