Mediterranean Couscous

[This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad week of 9/9/12-9/15/12]

It's time to break out of your cooking rut...and try couscous as an alternative to rice or potatoes.  Couscous is considered healthier than white rice because it is a more complex source of carbohydrates, it's higher in protein and fiber, and lower in calories.  It comes in plain and whole-wheat versions, and cooks up just as quickly as instant rice.  I combined this healthy "grain" with red pepper, spinach, and feta, and we loved the deliciously unique side dish!


Ingredients:
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 C couscous
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, torn OR use baby spinach
1/3 C diced red pepper
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 C crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Boil together the chicken broth, water, and garlic powder.  Stir in the couscous, spinach, and red pepper.  Cover tightly and leave alone for 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork.  Stir in lemon juice and feta cheese.  Serve immediately.

Options and Tips:

• Couscous can be found near the rice at most grocery stores.  At Meijer, I found it in a 12 oz box and a 31.7 oz jar.  The 31.7 oz jar is on price drop right now for $6.75.  This might seem expensive, but remember that couscous will fluff up like rice, so you don't need a lot of it to create a family-sized side dish.
• Feta is on sale at Meijer next week, but if you have a Costco membership, it's cheaper there!  Also, remember that feta has a very strong flavor, so a small container of feta will go a long ways.
• Make your own chicken broth:  dissolve one bouillon cube in one cup of boiling water.
• Check your prices:  although the organic spinach is on sale this week, it's probably still cheaper to buy a 10 oz bag of regular spinach (last time I checked it was $1.99)
• We enjoyed the leftovers cold...it was basically a pasta salad the next day.  When served cold, the couscous does tend to stick together a little, so if this bothers you, add a little bit of Italian dressing. 

This is an original recipe.