Over a year ago, I fell completely in love with a frozen dinner that I found at Target made by Archer Farms. It was Tilapia with Mango Salsa on top and then couscous underneath. YUM. So, naturally, they seem to have discontinued the product (kinda like they did with the good fruit strips they used to have). Or maybe I just haven’t been able to find it anywhere near me.
I had honestly never had couscous before I tried this product, but discovered that I truly loved it. Over the months that have passed since I had it, I kept the memory of how much I had loved it in the back of my mind while I was shopping. I even checked out various boxed varieties of flavored couscous, but the points were always a bit higher than I wanted to use. I checked out the health foods section of one of my local grocery stores, Hy-Vee, but the bagged couscous was really expensive and I never wanted to spend the funds. Plus, have I mentioned that I hate to cook??
However, I read online the other day about whole wheat couscous. Jackpot! Ever since I joined WW, I’ve been all about the whole grains and getting as much fiber in as I can. More fiber = at least one less point (usually). 
I saw that it could be found at Whole Foods, so I made a trip there yesterday. If I remember correctly, you could get a pound of it for only $2.39. WAY cheaper than the bagged stuff at the grocery store. I only bought 3/4 of a pound to try it and while I still have a bunch left, I know that I’ll be heading back to get more at some point.
The great thing about it is that it is SO easy to cook and takes even less time than pasta (since you use so much less water, it takes way less time to get it to boil). I started experimenting last night and kind of just started throwing things in.
The following is what I made for breakfast today – a very odd concoction, I know, but it actually wasn’t too bad. I do think it needed a bit of something, though. The only thing that was different about what I made last night compared to this morning was that it didn’t have the scrambled eggs in it and it had about 1/4 of a cube of beef bouillon (all I had on hand) in it.
Plus, do you see all those green diamonds? Green diamonds are good in the world of the new WW plan. I added everything except the scrambled eggs to the water while it was boiling and before I put the couscous in. I also thinly sliced the grape tomatoes.
Here’s what it looked like (interesting and weird, huh?):
To me, it kind of looks like fried rice without the fried part.
I think I’ll continue experimenting. I’m definitely going to try onions at some point….oooh maybe grilled chicken? I guess the possibilities are endless. The best part is that, as you can see above, 1/4 of a cup (which makes a lot) is only 3 points and contains 7 grams of fiber! And the whole bowl above was only 5.5 points. (For those keeping score, I have 21.5 left for the day)
I had just put whole wheat couscous on my grocery list the other day… I definately want to try and put it in my meal plans!!! Your dish in the pic looks yummy to me!
That does sound good Pam. I keep hearing people talk about couscous I’ve never had it but I will definitely put it on my list of things to try. Not sure where I would get the whole wheat kind though unless I ordered it online since we don’t have a whole foods or anything near by.
I love whole wheat couscous! No matter what I eat, if it calls for rice or pasta, I sub couscous. Yum-O! But you know, it’s kind of weird. I am not a big rice or pasta person. I love meat! I guess that’s why I did so well on Atkins. Until my hair starting falling out by the hand fulls! Sorry, I tend to digress. lol My point was that I was shocked that I took a liking to couscous as much as I did. But hey, whatever works! And you’re right, it does look like fried rice! lol
I’ve been a fan of whole wheat couscous for a while now. I tend to just eat it as a side dish with a little olive oil and lemon pepper. I’ll have to try your concoction.