Roasted Pecan Couscous with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Roasted pecans, sauteed onion, mushrooms, and garlic marry beautifully with Parmesan, sun-dried tomato pesto, and couscous. If you wish, stir in cooked chicken and more veggies to make it a complete meal. I regularly add shelled edamame for a boost of meatless protein.

Step: 1

Spread the pecan pieces onto a baking sheet and place in a cold oven.

Step: 2

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to begin roasting the pecans. Roast until aromatic, 20 to 30 minutes.

Step: 3

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms, onion, and garlic in the melted butter until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step: 4

Return the skillet to the heat. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in the skillet. Stir the water into the butter; bring to a boil. Put the couscous in a glass bowl; pour the butter and water mixture over the couscous. Immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit until the couscous absorbs all of the moisture, 7 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir the toasted pecans, the mushroom mixture, the pesto, and Parmesan cheese through the couscous. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Per Serving: 471 calories; protein 11.3g; carbohydrates 38.8g; fat 31.3g; cholesterol 18.9mg; sodium 222.2mg.

The most obvious way to pick a side dish is to caught at your main dish (pasta, chicken, seared tofu) and pick more different. If you’re cooking pasta, make sure for a simple vegetable . Making steak? Go for something light. If you’re want to cooking stir-fry with rice, it must not a best idea to also make a rice salad.

This also can apply to cooking process . You don’t want to push more often your oven by making to do list three dishes at once in there, or be juggling four pans on the stovetop . But often you can made a dish do double-duty .