This simple meal pairs the grilled portobellos with an easy couscous salad. The combination worked very well, both in ease of making (the couscous cooks while the mushrooms grill) and in the resulting mix of flavours and textures.
I used paprika, onion and chilli powders to flavour the meal, along with a dash each of salt, pepper and sugar and some fresh mint leaves. The mint leaves were from our garden, which added to my enjoyment of them! I also added diced carrots and whole snow peas (mange tout) to the couscous. I loved the resulting mix but other vegetables would work well too if you have different things to hand.
To me, this meal tasted of summer. Wherever you are in the world, I hope you enjoy it too.
Spiced couscous salad with grilled portobello mushrooms
An easy, summer-appropriate salad that comes together in under 15 minutes
Serves 2, but increase ingredient quantities as needed
Vegan and low in fat
Author: Bite-sized thoughts
Ingredients
1 tsp dried paprika
1/2 tsp dried onion powder
1/4 tsp dried chilli powder
Decent pinch salt
Decent pinch sugar
Few cracks black pepper
1/2 cup dry couscous
3/4 cup boiling water
4 portobello mushrooms
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh snow peas / mange tout
Small bunch fresh mint leaves (a decent handful), roughly torn
Method
Heat your grill to high and combine the paprika, onion, chilli, salt, sugar and black pepper in a small bowl or container.
Add the coucous and boiling water to a large bowl along with 1 tsp of the spice mix. Whisk together and cover with a plate or tea towel. Allow to stand for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, rub the remainder of the spice mix into the tops of your mushrooms and then place the mushrooms under your grill (top side up).
When the couscous has stood for 3 minutes, add the diced carrot, snow peas / mange tout and mint leaves to the bowl and stir through. Cover and allow to stand for a further 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are sufficiently grilled.
Divide the couscous into two portions and serve each topped with two mushrooms.
Submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays.
What easy meals are you enjoying at the moment?
I'm not a big mushroom fan, but I do like Portobello mushrooms and I do like what you have done with it here as an accompaniment to the flavour packed couscous. And homegrown mint - this made me smile. I have been gardening, well weeding and one of the plants that is invasive is the mint, I have pulled out loads and hope to make a salad with it for our working week lunch.
ReplyDeleteMy mint is in a pot so hopefully that will contain it!
DeleteThese look great! Mushrooms are quite meaty.
ReplyDeleteThey are indeed
DeleteI love mushrooms. I also love meals that all come together quickly and easily. This looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa :-)
DeleteI totally went off mushrooms at the beginning of my pregnancy, but I am making up for it now. This looks like a great way to eat them.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they're back on your radar :-)
DeleteI bought couscous the other day for the first time in ages - this looks like a great way to eat it - though I would probably prefer the mushrooms sliced - mushrooms have never been my favourite and having large whole mushrooms is just too much for me but they do look impressive that way
ReplyDeleteI would have shared your view in the past - it is funny how things change. I think seasoning them makes a difference but this would be nice with sliced mushrooms (or some other topping) too.
DeleteThis sounds great, Kari!
ReplyDelete"One day we will have an outdoor barbecue and I'll grill them in style" I'm still waiting for outdoor space so I can also have an outdoor grill ;p
I'm always in a mushroom phase - they are my favourite! I like the little, white button ones & the nice, big portobello ones and everything in between.
This sounds like a great salad - perfect summer fare.
Thanks for sharing with Healthy Vegan Fridays - I'm pinning & sharing!
Thanks so much Kimmy and I hope we both get our outdoor grills in time!
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