Surprisingly, this couscous recipe has its origins in Italy. I was in Sicily, deep in the land of linguini, when out came couscous as part of our meal. “Couscous?” I thought. “That’s Moroccan, not Italian.” Well, it turns out that every invading army passing through Sicily left a bit of its cuisine behind. And couscous, despite the exotic name, is actually a tiny, beadlike pasta. I love it because it’s easy to prepare—no huge pots of boiling water necessary, just a little steam or hot broth and, in 10 minutes, voila! It’s also so soft and delicious in the mouth, like a gentle massage. Pistachios are my secret ingredient here. Most people think of them as something you only see at a ballgame or in ice cream, but their buttery texture, great vitamin content, and wonderful pale green coloring make them a great choice anytime. I love to put a dollop of Sweet and Savory Yogurt (page 189) on top of this dish. This recipe works beautifully with a drizzle of Moroccan Pesto (page 186).

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/4 cup shelled pistachios

　　1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous, rinsed in cold water

　　1 1/2 cups boiling Magic Mineral Broth (page 54) or water

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1 teaspoon sea salt

　　1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

　　2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped

　　2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

　　1 tablespoon orange zest

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 cup raisins

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

Spread the pistachios in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. Let cool.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, combine the couscous and boiling broth in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Add the cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir and fluff with a fork. Spread the couscous on a sheet pan, rake with a fork, and let cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 4

Combine the couscous, mint, scallions, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, raisins, and pistachios and mix well, then do a FASS check. You may need to add a pinch or two of salt, a squeeze of lemon, or a dash of olive oil to balance the flavors.

　　

variation

Step 5

Make this a meal in a bowl by adding 1 cup of cooked chickpeas when you stir everything together.

　　

rebecca’s notes

Step 6

This dish benefits from being made ahead of time. The flavor deepens as it sits.

　　

storage

Step 7

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.

　　

nutrition information

Step 8

(per serving)

　　

Step 9

Calories: 265

　　

Step 10

Total Fat: 10.3g (1.3g saturated, 5.9g monounsaturated)

　　

Step 11

Carbohydrates: 40g

　　

Step 12

Protein: 7g

　　

Step 13

Fiber: 6g

　　

Step 14

Sodium: 435mg

　　Excerpted from The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, copyright 2017 by Rebecca Katz and Met Edelson. Published with permission by Ten Speed Press.