A Simple & Sassy Side Dish: Apricot & Zucchini Couscous

Ok, it’s winter. Let’s talk soup.

So, I tend to cook a lot of soups. This is for several reasons: I can make it when I have time and stick it in the fridge for the next day, soups are easy to make, and I only have to make one dish if I serve it as a main course. Because side dishes? Such a pain to manage the timing of the cooking of all the different elements of a traditional meat-and-two-veg dish.

And then I came across this side dish!

Super-quick to make, it fits all my soup-er (ha!) criterion: I can stick it in the fridge and pull it out the next day, and it’s an easy way to add a side that a) delicious and b) healthy. It’s low-fat, has only three ingredients, and is chock-full of healthiness!

And did I mention it’s tasty? Because it’s tasty. 🙂

I’ve served this as a side dish, and I’ve also served it as a salad with a little balsamic dressing on it. (Hey, you do you!)  Honestly, it was MUCH quicker to make than you’d think. Try it, and see for yourself!

Apricot and Zucchini Couscous

• 1 c. coucous (I bought mine at a local bulk food store)
• dried apricots (also bought at the local bulk food store)
• 1 zucchini

Boil 1 c. salted water. Add couscous and let sit for 5 minutes with a lid on the pot, until water is absorbed. Meanwhile, grate zucchini, and chop dried apricots into small chunks (1 apricot equals say, 8 to 10 chunks). Once couscous is rehydrated, stir in grated zucchini and chopped apricots. Let sit until flavours meld/the rest of the meal is done/the table is set. Bam, done!

The heat of the couscous will partially cook the zucchini, and the zucchini will release some water which will rehydrate the dried apricots.

Now isn’t that a quick side dish? And it’s a welcome change from my soup diet!

Next Post: Speaking of soup, should I post a soup recipe? Or those chocolate mint whoopee pies I was talking about before? So many delicious things!

Linking Up at Meal Plan Monday!