Cinnamon Raisin Couscous

It is Fall everywhere in the world, and everywhere in the world they are celebrating it differently. I am not sure what my fellow Lebanese are doing back home but I am well aware of what my fellow Americans are up to these days: apples, pumpkins, pies! How I miss pies, and pumpkins, and cookies, and Fall back in the US. Had we been there, we would probably be going to an Autumn Harvest festival, to a pumpkin patch or to apple picking. We might be meeting up with friends, pairing up the girls, and toting the younger ones. Or, we might be mixing, beating, baking. There would be cinnamon and nutmeg odors wafting through, and crispy, crunchy, warm goodies lining up on the counter. But, we are not in the US and this is not Lebanon. I still do not have an oven and butter is hard to come by. Flour is rather pricey and I am yet to see pumpkin as we know it in the US. So, we make do with what we have. And what we have it a lot of apples, raisins and couscous.

 

In an effort to resurrect Fall and bring home its warmth I played on the apple pie theme and made my family apple-raisin couscous. I am not sure what Moroccans think of my transforming their savory ingredient into a sweet one, but I know that this has become my go-to desert. JR loves it, Yousef munches on the sweet, soft apples, and Jeff snacks on it when he is up late working. It is easy to throw together, contains absolutely no fat and has no added sugar. This means I can make it a few times a week without feeling guilty or taking up too much of my time.

 

If you come across couscous and are looking to trade in those fat calories and still keep the Fall flavors try it, and let me know what you think.

 

Ingredients

•  1 medium sized apple, red or yellow, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Preparation

Put all the ingredients except the couscous in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer until the apples are tender and the raisins plump. Turn heat off and add couscous. Cover to steam couscous. Serve at room temperature.