Israeli Couscous with Vegetables

This is a Yom Kippur Special – Israeli Couscous with vegetables. Zucchini and tomatoes are just wonderful in the summer. It’s a pretty healthy, tasty dish, so you won’t feel like you have to repent for eating it.

Serves about 5

½ cup pine nuts
3 tbsp butter
EVOO
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ a large onion (or 1 small), diced
1 zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced
1 box of Israeli couscous (trader joe’s) it’s bigger than regular couscous
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 stick of cinnamon
2 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock if you want a true vegetarian dish)
1 bunch fresh parsley
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 cup of whole mini tomatoes (used a medley of red and yellow)

In a pot, melt down the butter and cook the pine nuts until just toasted, it will only take a minute. Remove from the pot and set aside. Drizzle some EVOO in the pot and cook the onions, garlic, and zucchini stirring frequently. Season with a little salt and some crushed black pepper. Cook for a couple minutes. Now add the Israeli couscous and stir and allow to cook the firm couscous for a minute or two. Enough to just barely toast it. Add in the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Pour in the chicken stock. Raise heat and bring to boil then drop to very low. Meanwhile mince the parsley, and zest the lemon. When the couscous is al dente, turn off the heat. Mix in the parsley. Squeeze the lemon juice over the dish and toss. Now add in the mini tomatoes and the buttery pine nuts. Serve.