Near East Broccoli and Cheese Couscous

Good morning everyone.  Today I have the food so nice they named it twice :-P Yes, I am talking about couscous, a Mediterranean grain that is perfect as a side dish, or a meal all on its own.  One great thing about couscous is that on its own it is vegan.  I found one thing that made veganism difficult is that involves eating a lot of veggies, as many breads and pastas have milk and/or eggs in them. While I do like a select few veggies, I can't make a meal of just veggies and feel full after.  Couscous allows you to create a vegan, but filling meal with as many or as little veggies as you like.  Near East makes some of the best couscous.  It feels like you are cooking, since you are making it fresh, but it is insanely quick and easy to make. That is right up my alley! While couscous on its own is vegan, I decided to try this broccoli and cheese variation.  But don't worry, as I am trying to make better vegan choices, I just bought 3 boxes of vegan variations of this amazing grain, and I will make those and show them to you soon.





As I mentioned, couscous is probably the easiest fresh food to make.  Just bring some water to a boil, and add in any other ingredients needed.  The plain couscous you only need to add some butter or oil (to make it vegan), but since I was making the broccoli and cheese version, I needed to add some milk too and the flavor packet.



Mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, take the pan off the heat, mix in the couscous, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.  I use that 5 minutes to prepare anything else that needs to go into the couscous.  You can add any kid of veggie, nuts, or anything else your heart desires.



After 5 minutes, uncover and fluff with a fork.  How freaking easy is that?



Mmm!  While this was delicious on its own, but it is broccoli and cheese couscous, and I thought it needed more broccoli.  So I heated some up quickly and piled it on top.



So there you have it, one of the easiest and quickest meals you can cook. It is both tasty and very versatile  allowing you to add any of your favorite things.  So have fun with couscous!  Cooking for a family? Make a big bowl of the plain version, and allow everyone to pick what gets to go into their bowl.  It will be fun for kids to customize what goes into their dinner. Or just whip up a box for yourself when you are looking for something quick and easy.

Do you guys love couscous as much as I do? Will you be making some Near East couscous soon?

Bye from the Veggie Side