Tag: peanuts

Foodie Swellness: Campfire couscous recipe

campfire couscous

 

In the summer, I tend to cook less often — I prefer to spend time out on a patio or at the park than in the kitchen. So simple dishes that are tasty and super quick to prepare are a must — and I’m adding this campfire couscous recipe to my rotation. I like the sweetness from the dried fruit, and the crunch from the peanuts (and remember, peanuts are healthy for you!) — and I’m always looking for carb recipes since I’m apparently always marathon training, haha.
(Oh, I added parsley to my dish, mostly because I wanted a bit more colour to the dish. I bet this recipe would taste just as good made with quinoa instead of couscous, too!)
Campfire Couscous
1 Tbs peanut oil
1 carrot, sliced
2 cups water
1 cup couscous
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ginger
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch cayenne
Pinch cloves
Pinch ground coriander (optional)
1/4 cup dried apricots or cranberries, slivered
1/4 peanuts, coarsely chopped
Heat peanut oil in pot over medium heat. Add carrot, cooking until just tender. Add water and bring to a boil. Add couscous and spices and stir.
Cover and remove from heat. Let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add in apricots or cranberries and peanuts.
For tips on how to switch up the dish a little, check out the recipe over on the Peanut Bureau of Canada site.
(sponsored post)

Leave a Comment August 25, 2014

Healthy Swellness: Nuts about nuts

Raw shelled big peanuts in a bucket on white background, closeup

When I interviewed chef Scott Conant a couple of years ago, he told me about his guilty food pleasure: peanut butter. Not some fancy, organic, all-natural kind, but one of the varieties you’ll find on every grocery shelf – it’s probably the one you enjoyed as a kid.

Are peanuts an essential for you, too? Do you devour it the way those contestants on Survivor do when they get some PB as a food reward? They’re all over it like Kanye is Kim, but I guess being deprived of food and flavour for weeks will do that to you.

I always have peanuts and peanut butter at home, and I eat it at least once a week—on toast or a bagel before I go for a run, or with chocolate when I’m craving something sweet, or sometimes I add them to açai bowls or salads for a bit of crunch. Maybe it’s my Quebec roots showing—did you know Quebec residents are more likely to eat peanut butter at least weekly than the rest of Canada? (85 percent compared to 78 percent.)

I know I turn to peanuts as a simple way to get some protein, but that’s not the only thing great about them:

  • Peanuts are a natural source of heart-healthy plant sterols
  • A handful of peanuts as a snack will not only make you feel full, but it’s packed with vitamins and minerals including fibre, folate, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc and selenium
  • Peanuts are naturally sodium-free (that’d be the unsalted variety—in case that wasn’t obvious…).
  • Peanuts are cholesterol-free.

All this talk about peanuts giving you a nutty craving? Check next week for a healthy salad recipe I think you’ll love!

P.S. For more healthy info  on peanuts and about different peanut varieties, head on over to the Peanut Bureau for a visit.

(sponsored post)

Leave a Comment August 18, 2014


Recent Posts

Categories

Recent Comments