Lazy Girl's Cous-Cous and Chickpea Salad

I am always desperate to get more protein into Aditi. She eats fish very rarely, and is actually turning into a full vegetarian (so essentially, we have a vegetarian, a pescitarian and a carnivore in the same house). So, within a usual meal, I try to make sure that she gets enough protein and iron, sans meat. This means that mealtimes can be a challenge, because she's decided, in her contrary 2 year old way, that eggs are now her enemy. As this was her main source of protein, I now have to come up with other ways to make sure she gets her (and our) essential nutrients in other ways.

However, do you ever have that feeling, when the fridge is sort of emptyish and its raining hard outside that the last thing you want to do is go to a store to pick up stuff for supper? Well, that's me some nights. Its been miserable weather here for the last few days, as summer makes way for autumn, but I am putting off getting my winter coat out at least for a while. So Aditi and I make do with what's in the pantry and fridge.

It was one of those days today, so I scrounged around in the fridge. I had already made a Maple Syrup Cake in the afternoon, so didn't want a long cooking spell in the evening too. So we decided on couscous, an easy to cook, protein filled grain. I had a fresh courgette, given to us by our friend (she of the guerilla garden, more to come!) and a few odds and ends lying around the fridge. Plus, raisins, which are full of iron.

Once I threw together this simple warm salad though, Adz and I both loved it, so this concoction is going into the recipe files.

Recipe:

1 pack of couscous, prepared to package directions
1 courgette, diced small
1/2 onion, diced small
2 spring onions, chopped
2 flakes garlic, chopped fine
1 tin chickpeas, drained
A generous handful raisins
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare the couscous according to package directions. Fluff it up, and leave to dry out a bit.

In a pan, add a little olive oil, and saute the onion till its light brown. Add the chopped garlic, and stir for a minute. Add the courgette and half of the spring onions, sauteeing for about 5 minutes or so on a medium heat, until the courgette is cooked, but still has a bite to it. Add the chickpeas, and stir till they are heated through.

Tip this mixture into the cooked couscous, mixing it all together well. Stir in the remaining spring onions and raisins. Season to taste. And... that's it!

You can obviously vary the recipe by adding anything you have around really. And a few nuts and herbs for added texture if you like.