After posting Brown Butter Biscuits with Sausage Gravy & Baked Caramel Apple Donuts, I felt the need to balance out my indulgences with something on the healthier side. Last Sunday afternoon while Casey worked in the basement and Cooper napped, I made this yummy couscous dish. I stood at my kitchen island, chopping up a huge bunch of dark green & crimson leaves when all of a sudden, a cool draft wafted through the window. I breathed it in and realized that Autumn had arrived. With a little Ray LaMontagne playing in the background, I was in my happy place. Alone in the kitchen, a few pans sizzling behind me with a hearty fall recipe in the making…Life is good.
Have I told you how much I love chard? I’d never thought I’d say that because I absolutely hated it as a child. Chard is a good balance of bitter & sweet and it makes me feel like I’m being super healthy when I’m shoving fistfuls of it in my mouth. Red Swiss chard is an excellent pairing with the sweetness of the plump golden raisins, the hearty nuttiness of the chickpeas and the salty feta crumbles in this dish. There’s soo many fun textures to venture through! The only thing I can’t figure out is whether I like this dish hot or cold because it’s fabulous both ways. It’s definitely going in my fall rotation and next time I might add a poached egg on top…or perhaps some toasted walnuts to the mix?
Let’s get started!
Gather your ingredients. That red Swiss chard is pretty lovely, huh?
Chop up the stems of the chard.
And then chop up the leaves. Gotta keep ’em separated!! (cue the Offspring song)
In a pan, toss your couscous with some olive oil & half of the garlic.
Add in your vegetable stock & reduce. After about 10 minutes the liquid absorbs & it’s raisin time!
While the couscous cooks, saute the chard stems with garlic & olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Then add the leaves in with the chickpeas, water & some balsamic vinegar. Reduce & wilt!
Put a little couscous on the plate.
Top it with the swiss chard & some crumbled feta!
Now you are ready to welcome Fall!
Couscous with Swish Chard, Raisins & Feta
(recipe from Rachael Ray magazine)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 1/4 cup Israeli couscous
- 1 14 oz. can vegetable broth
- 2/3 cups golden raisins
- salt & pepper
- 1 bunch Red Swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped separately
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1. In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add half of the garlic and the couscous and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth; bring to a boil, Cover & lower the heat and simmer until the broth has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins; season with salt.
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic & Swiss chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the Swiss chard leaves, chickpeas, 1/2 cup water & balsamic vinegar and cover and cook until the chard is wilted-2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt & pepper and serve on the couscous and top with feta.
