Make these amazing chicken skewers for your next barbecue get together this spring or summer. I promise, they won’t disappoint. These are full of Mediterranean flavours and we just couldn’t get enough of them.

We served these kebabs with a minted Greek yogurt and some quinoa.  It was the absolute perfect fresh dinner and I am keeping it on file for summer entertaining.  Easy and just downright delicious. 

Get my Top 16 Barbecue Kebab Recipes!

What Are These Kebabs Like

• Difficulty – This is an extremely easy recipe and the hands on time is very quick. There is a marinade time of two hours and that’s the longest part. Both the marinade and the dip use few ingredients which makes it really easy.
• Taste – If you love fresh mint and lemon, you will love this recipe. It’s fresh and light and perfect for summer.
• Serving – This recipes will make approximately 6 chicken kebabs. In the recipe card at the end of the post, you can easily adjust the serving size to suit your needs.

Ingredients

• Chicken – I used chicken breast cut into cube sized pieces.
• Marinade – This marinade is made using olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh mint, salt and black pepper.
• Dip – I made a super easy dip using Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh mint and salt.

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Make marinade – In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, mint, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
2. Marinade chicken – Add the chicken to a large bowl, pour over the marinade and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for two hours up to overnight.
3. Add chicken to skewers – When ready to cook, pierce the chicken pieces on skewers. You should get between 6 to 8 skewers depending how many chicken pieces you put on each skewer.
4. Grill chicken – Cook on a preheated barbecue pouring over extra marinade as it cooks. Cook for around 12 – 15 minutes turning every 3 minutes to ensure even cooking.
5. Make the dip – Make the dip by combining the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh mint and salt. Whisk to combine.
6. Serve – Serve the chicken skewers with the dip on the side.

Recipe Tips

• Cutting the chicken – It’s best to cut the chicken into the same size pieces the best you can. this will ensure even cooking.
• Using wooden skewers – If you are planning to use wooden skewers, it’s best to soak them in water for about one hour first. This will prevent them from burning on the barbecue.
• Marinade time – For the best flavour, marinade the chicken for about two hours.
• Add extra marinade – When you are cooking the kebabs, spoon over the remaining marinade that is left in the dish that you were marinading the chicken and vegetables.  This will ensure they don’t dry out while cooking. 

Substitutions

• Chicken breast – If you prefer, you could use cubed chicken thighs. Keep in mind chicken thighs may take a little longer cooking time.
• Marinade – For a different flavour you could even use lime juice.
• Alternative cooking method – These were cooked on a gas barbecue. You could easily cook them on a charcoal barbecue. Or you can easily cook them in the oven or on the stove top.

Serving

• Potatoes – These would go great with the Crispy Garlic Potatoes with a Creamy Chive Dip or even the Potato & Cucumber Salad.
• Salads – My recent new Greek Style Salad with Marinaded Feta would be wonderful with these tenders. Or you could try the Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad.
• Vegetable Sides – The Oven Roasted Italian Green Peppers or the Sheet Pan Vegetables would both be great choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stove Top Lemon Chicken

Looking for a zesty chicken dish? Well, this Stove Top Lemon Chicken could be just what you’re looking for. Done in one pan on the stove top which makes for a pretty quick and easy dinner. Take a look!

Check out this recipe

Green Pesto Chicken Kebabs

You only need two ingredients to put together these Green Pesto Chicken Kebabs. Your perfect warm weather grilling put together in minutes. Make a salad on the side and you're all set for easy eating.

Check out this recipe

Lemon Caper Chicken Thighs

Add a punch of flavour to your dinner table with these Lemon Caper Chicken Thighs. This is an easy to make dinner that is easy enough for weeknight dinners and also great for when you have company over. A wonderful dish that embraces Mediterranean flavours and goes great with any fresh vegetables or salads.

Check out this recipe

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Mediterranean Chicken Skewers

You can never have enough grilling recipes for summer. And these Mediterranean Chicken Skewers make perfect sense for outdoor grilling in the hot months ahead. Seen served here with quinoa and minted Greek yogurt for a great meal.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Marinade Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: barbecue, lemons, mint

Servings: 8 skewers

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• zest of one lemon
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup fresh mint finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast cut into cubes

For the dip

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, mint, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
• Add the chicken to a large bowl, pour over the marinade and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for two hours up to overnight.
• When ready to cook, pierce the chicken pieces on skewers. You should get between 6 to 8 skewers depending how many chicken pieces you put on each skewer.
• Cook on a preheated barbecue pouring over extra marinade as it cooks. Cook for around 12 – 15 minutes turning every 3 minutes to ensure even cooking.
• Make the dip by combining the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh mint and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Serve the chicken skewers with the dip on the side.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Mediterranean Chicken Skewers

Amount Per Serving (1 skewer)

Calories 155 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 36mg12%

Sodium 215mg9%

Potassium 436mg12%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 60IU1%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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The post Mediterranean Chicken Skewers appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

This salad is full of flavour and so easy to put together.  Much like the Lemon Herb Couscous Salad, this is a substantial salad that is absolutely delicious, versatile and great as a Side Dish to many Main Courses!

What Is This Salad Like

• Difficulty – This is a very easy recipe to make. It has two parts and comes together in about an hour.
• Taste – A great tasting dish with hearty chickpeas, roasted vegetables, fresh mint and a wonderful Lemon Vinaigrette.
• Serving – This dish will make between 4 – 6 servings. Keep in mind, you can easily adjust the serving size in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients

• Chickpeas – I used jar chickpeas. If you prefer you can soak and cook your own. Just remember preparing chickpeas does take a long time as the chickpeas will have to soak overnight.
• Red pepper – I used a medium sized red bell pepper for this dish. I cut it into approximately 1-inch pieces.
• Zucchini – A medium sized zucchini cut into about 1-inch pieces. You don’t need to peel the zucchini for this recipe.
• Lemon vinaigrette – I made a vinaigrette from lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh mint.Juice and zest of one lemon

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C.
2. Make vinaigrette – Make the vinaigrette in a small bowl by combining the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper and fresh mint. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. Roast vegetables – Place the chopped zucchini and red peppers on a large baking tray. Evenly spread out and drizzle over olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes or until soft and cooked. Remove from the oven.
4. Combine salad – In a large salad bowl, combine the chickpeas with the roasted vegetables and stir to combine. Pour over the vinaigrette and stir well to combine.
5. Serve – Serve this salad warm with grilled seafood or chicken.

Recipe Tips

• Prep in advance – You can make the vinaigrette up to two days in advance. As well, you can prep and store the vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge up to three days before cooking.
• Using uncooked chickpeas – I used jarred chickpeas for this recipe. You can cook your own. But remember chickpeas need to be soaked overnight and then they take up to two hours to cook. Keep this in mind if you are going down this road with the recipe.

Substitutions

• Can chickpeas – You can also cook your own chickpeas if you like. Just remember they need to be soaked for about 8 hours as well as then cooked between 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
• Vegetables – You can use any colour peppers that you like, eggplant, and even red onions work too.
• Fresh mint – You can use fresh basil or fresh parsley.
• Additional ingredients – The addition of cubed mozzarella or crumbled feta will also work.

Serving and Storage

• Chicken & Turkey – I’ve served this with the Green Olive Chicken so many times and it goes great. As well, the Roasted Spatchcock Chicken would be great.
• Fish & Seafood – Why not serve it alongside the Lemon Crusted Baked Cod or the Pan Fried Hake.
• Beef & Pork – Serve it with the Moroccan Spiced Pork Kebabs or the Barbecue Pork Tenderloin.

• Storage
  • This chickpea salad will keep for about two days covered in the fridge. It’s best to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lemon Herb Quinoa Salad

This Lemon Herb Quinoa Salad is your perfect side dish right now! A light quinoa dish with a Lemon Vinaigrette, lots of fresh herbs, chickpeas, cucumbers and pistachios! A light yet hearty salad that is great on its own or as a Side Dish.

Check out this recipe

Mediterranean Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

This Mediterranean Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables is a fantastic dish to enjoy at any season. It's packed full of high fiber quinoa, roasted zucchini, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. It's wrapped up in a light honey lemon dressing for a touch of sweetness that's absolutely delicious!

Check out this recipe

Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

This Lemon Herb Couscous Salad is a perfect salad to enjoy any time of year. Light an fluffy couscous with roasted vegetables, salty feta cheese, fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette.

Check out this recipe

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Roasted Vegetable Chickpea Salad

Why not give this Roasted Vegetable Chickpea Salad a try now that the weather is warming up. A warm salad made with chickpeas and roasted vegetables all wrapped up with a minted lemon vinaigrette.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: chickpeas, Healthy, Peppers, quick

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the dressing

• 4 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Juice and zest of one lemon
• Small bunch of fresh mint roughly torn into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the salad

• 2 cups chickpeas cooked
• 1 large red pepper sliced length ways
• 1 large zucchini halved length ways and then cut cross ways into thin slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C.
• Make the vinaigrette in a small bowl by combining the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper and fresh mint. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Place the chopped zucchini and red peppers on a large baking tray. Evenly spread out and drizzle over olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes or until soft and cooked. Remove from the oven.
• In a large salad bowl, combine the chickpeas with the roasted vegetables and stir to combine. Pour over the vinaigrette and stir well to combine.
• Serve this salad warm with grilled seafood or chicken.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Vegetable Chickpea Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 211 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Sodium 398mg17%

Potassium 365mg10%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 980IU20%

Vitamin C 45mg55%

Calcium 40mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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The post Roasted Vegetable Chickpea Salad appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Okay, so we’re taking a tiny break from seasonal fall and Halloween recipes to bring something fresh and light. I know how much we all love quick Side Dishes, and it doesn’t get a whole lot easier than this Lemon Basil Couscous. Although, it’s a lighter dish, you can serve it with more hearty main courses to make it seasonal for fall and winter.

What is This Couscous Dish Like

• Difficulty – This is a super easy couscous dish. It requires only six ingredients and takes about 10 minutes to make. Just make sure to follow the instructions carefully for cooking the couscous.
• Taste – The couscous is light and fluffy with a taste of lemon and fresh basil.
• Serving – This salad makes six good sized servings as a side dish. In the recipe card at the end of the post you can easily adjust the serving size.

Ingredients

• Couscous – This recipe uses uncooked small grain couscous. You can find it in the supermarket usually when you can find other grains.
• Lemon zest – Lemon zest is added to give a lemon flavour to the couscous.
• Vegetable broth – I cooked the couscous in vegetable broth to give it more flavour.
• Lemon juice – A small amount of fresh lemon juice is added to the couscous for lemon flavour.
• Salt – Regular table salt was the only seasoning I used for this dish.
• Basil – This dish was finished off with fresh chopped basil

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Cook couscous – Add the dry couscous and lemon zest to a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat. Stir well to combine the zest into the couscous. Dry fry the couscous for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and immediately add the boiling vegetable broth and lemon juice. Cover the saucepan in plastic wrap and then place the lid on top. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. Fluff couscous and add basil – When the couscous is cooked, remove the lid and plastic wrap and fluff with a fork. Add the fresh chopped basil and season with salt.
3. Serve – Serve warm or even at room temperature.

Recipe Tips

• Cooking couscous – It’m important not to cook couscous over heat. The boiling stock will cook the couscous off the heat. If you cook couscous over heat, it will likely become soggy and mushy.
• Fluffing couscous – When the couscous is cooked, start fluffing with a fork from the top down. This will give you very light and fluffy couscous.

Substitutions

• Vegetable broth – For a different flavour you could use chicken broth or even beef broth for a richer flavour.
• Herbs – I used fresh basil but fresh mint, cilantro or parsley would also work.
• Additions – For extra flavour and texture, toasted pine nuts would go really well.

Serving

• Serving
  • This couscous would go wonderful with the Green Olive Chicken or the Roasted Spatchcock Chicken. I also love it with the Lemon Garlic Shirmp or the Moroccan Spiced Pork Kebabs.
• Storage
  • This couscous will keep for about two days covered in the fridge. It’s best to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

This Lemon Herb Couscous Salad is a perfect salad to enjoy any time of year. Light an fluffy couscous with roasted vegetables, salty feta cheese, fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette.

Check out this recipe

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Delicious hot or cold. I love serving it at barbecue events as it is one of those dishes that just really says summertime.

Check out this recipe

Sauteed Wild Asparagus with Couscous

Make this Sauteed Wild Asparagus with Couscous for a easy, light and tasty side dish soon. this goes great with any chicken or seafood recipes.

Check out this recipe

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Lemon Basil Couscous

Make this easy and tasty Lemon Basil Couscous for a great side dish. This cooks in 10 minutes and requires only 5 minutes of prep time. A versatile dish that you can add alongside any weeknight dinner.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time17 minutes mins

Course: side dishes

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, north africian

Keyword: couscous, easy side dishes, lemon recipes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 171kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• small bunch fresh chopped basil

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add the dry couscous and lemon zest to a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat. Stir well to combine the zest into the couscous. Dry fry the couscous for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and immediately add the boiling vegetable broth and lemon juice. Cover the saucepan in plastic wrap and then place the lid on top. Leave for 10 minutes.
• When the couscous is cooked, remove the lid and plastic wrap and fluff with a fork. Add the fresh chopped basil and season with salt.
• Serve warm or even at room temperature.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Basil Couscous

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 171 Calories from Fat 3

% Daily Value*

Fat 0.3g0%

Saturated Fat 0.1g1%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.04g

Sodium 938mg41%

Potassium 88mg3%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 190IU4%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Lemon Basil Couscous appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

This soup is packed full of veggies, chickpeas and lentils so it is sure to keep you satisfied. If you’re a fan of warming and hearty soups, this one is a must try.

And if you looking for something in the non meatless version, why not check out my Italian Sausage and Tomato Stew….yum! Or if you want to dive head first into more delicious Moroccan food, you need to check out my Roasted Moroccan Chicken or my Beef & Squash Tagine.

What is This Soup Like

• Difficulty – This soup is pretty straightforward and easy to make. However, it does have a long ingredient list and it takes about 2 1/2 from start to finish. The prep time isn’t long, but the cooking time to get the rich flavours and textures, takes about 2 hours. But it’s well worth the wait!
• Taste – A rich tomato taste that’s loaded with spices, vegetables and legumes. It’s a hearty and filling soup and is a full meal all in itself.
• Serving – This soup makes six generous servings as a main course. I’d probably serve it with some Fluffy Dinner Rolls.

Ingredients

• Onion – I used a brown onion diced small for the soup.
• Olive oil – Olive oil is used to cook the onion and vegetables.
• Garlic – This soup uses fresh minced garlic for the best flavour.
• Bay leaf – One bay leaf is added to the soup to enhance flavours.
• Vegetables – I used both chopped carrots and celery in the soup.
• Seasonings – This soup uses a mix of turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, chili flakes, salt and black pepper.
• Tomatoes – I used whole can tomatoes in the soup.
• Broth – This soup uses vegetable broth.
• Legumes – I used both cooked chickpeas and cooked lentils in the soup.
• Tomato paste – Tomato paste is used to add richness to the soup.
• Vinegar – A small amount of white wine vinegar is added to the soup to add a bit of acidity.
• Parsley – A small bunch of fresh chopped parsley is added to the soup when it’s finished cooking for freshness.

NOTE, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Cook onions – In a large heavy bottomed pot set over high heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil and the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened. This will take 5 – 8 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaf and stir to incorporate. Cook for a further minute.
2. Cook vegetables – Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the diced carrots and celery. Stir really well to incorporate and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin coriander and chili flakes. Stir really well and cook for about two minutes.
3. Add the whole can tomatoes and stir well. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon so they break up into smaller pieces. Pour in the vegetable broth, add the tomato paste, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the chickpeas and lentils. Stgir well and bring to a boil for about one minute. Cover, reduce heat to low and leave to cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir the soup while it’s cooking. Add more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
4. Add parsley and serve – Add fresh chopped parsley and stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve.

Recipe Notes

• Make sure to fry the spices – The spices are added with the vegetables at the frying stage. Make sure not to skip this as it adds so much more flavour to the finished soup.
• Add more vegetable broth if needed – I used about 4 1/2 cups of vegetable broth for this soup. It was a perfect rich consistency between a soup and a stew. If your soup is too thick at the end of cooking, add about 1/2 cup of extra broth.
• Freezing instructions – Place the cooled soup in freezer proof bags or containers. Freeze up to two months. Allow the soup to defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stove top until hot.

Substitutions and Flavour Changes

• Whole can tomatoes – You could use a large can of crushed tomatoes.
• Cooked brown lentils – You can cook your own lentils for this recipe but I do recommend using brown lentils. Lentils will cook in about 30 minutes and they don’t require soaking.
• Cooked chickpeas – Alternatively, you can use dry chickpeas. Dry chickpeas need to be soaked for about 12 hours prior to cooking. Then you can boil the chickpeas on the stovetop for about 2 hours or until they are soft.
• Vegetable broth – You could slightly change the flavour of the soup by using chicken broth.
• Parsley – You could opt for fresh cilantro.
• Additions – Add shredded chicken or shredded pork to make it a bigger meal.

Serving

Like most soups, this one goes great with a side of any bread. Here’s a few that you might like to try out!

• Fluffy White Dinner Rolls
• Stove Top Nann Bread
• Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• No Yeast Whole Wheat Bread

Frequently Asked Questions

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Spiced Moroccan Soup

This Spiced Moroccan Lentil Soup is one you'll want to file in favourites and make soon . A rich tomato based soup, loaded with vegetables, lentils, chickpeas and so much spice. Serve it with a side of Leftover Pizza Dough Flatbread or Stovetop Nann Bread for a great meal.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: Spice, vegeterian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 413kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 medium brown onion diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 medium carrots peeled and sliced cross ways into about 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 medium celery ribs diced into about 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 28 oz can whole tomatoes
• 4 1/2 cups vegetable stock more if needed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2 cups cooked lentils
• small bunch of fresh chopped parsley

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large heavy bottomed pot set over high heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil and the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened. This will take 5 – 8 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaf and stir to incorporate. Cook for a further minute.
• Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the diced carrots and celery. Stir really well to incorporate and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chili flakes. Stir really well and cook for about two minutes.
• Add the whole can tomatoes and stir well. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon so they break up into smaller pieces. Pour in the vegetable broth, add the tomato paste, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the chickpeas and lentils. Stir well and bring to a boil for about one minute. Cover, reduce heat to low and leave to cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir the soup occasionally while it's cooking. Add more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
• Add fresh chopped parsley and stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

1. Make sure to fry the spices – The spices are added with the vegetables at the frying stage. Make sure not to skip this as it adds so much more flavour to the finished soup.
2. Add more vegetable broth if needed – I used about 4 1/2 cups of vegetable broth for this soup. It was a perfect rich consistency between a soup and a stew. If your soup is too thick at the end of cooking, add about 1/2 cup of extra broth.
3. Freezing instructions – Place the cooled soup in freezer proof bags or containers. Freeze up to two months. Allow the soup to defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stove top until hot.

Nutrition Facts

Spiced Moroccan Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 bowl of soup)

Calories 413 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 788mg34%

Potassium 1469mg42%

Carbohydrates 74g25%

Fiber 31g129%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 11767IU235%

Vitamin C 28mg34%

Calcium 112mg11%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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The post Spiced Moroccan Lentil Soup appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

It’s officially spring and I’m am more than ready to start sharing some lighter and fresher meals. Not too long ago, I posted a roundup for 35 Sweet and Savoury Ways to use Lemons. There’s a lot of great recipes to look through there that would be prefect for spring. And this Lemon Herb Couscous Salad is one you’ll want to file in favourites to make on repeat for the months ahead.

What’s This CousCous Salad Like

• Difficulty – This is a super easy couscous salad. It has various parts to it, but all the steps are easy. Just make sure to follow the instructions carefully for cooking the couscous.
• Taste – The couscous is light and fluffy and goes so well with the tangy vinaigrette, roasted vegetables and feta cheese.
• Serving – This salad makes six good sized servings as a side dish. If you are planning to have it as a main course, I’d say it will serve four adults.

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:

• Couscous – This recipe uses Moroccan couscous. You can find it everywhere, it’s a small grain and cooks quickly.
• Vegetable broth – I used carton vegetable broth for this dish.
• Vegetables – I used red bell pepper, zucchini and fresh tomato.
• Olive oil – Any olive oil will work.
• Chickpeas – This recipe uses precooked jar of chickpeas.
• Feta cheese – I used a block of Feta cheese and just crumbled it apart.
• Herb – This recipe used fresh chopped parsley.
• Lemon zest – Lemon zest is outer layer of the lemon peel.

FOR THE DRESSING:

• Olive oil – I used extra virgin olive oil for the dressing.
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice will work best for this dressing.
• Lemon zest – Lemon zest is the outer layer of the lemon peel.
• Vinegar – I used white wine vinegar.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is used to balance out the tartness in the dressing.
• Salt – Regular table salt.
• Pepper – Black pepper.

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

MAKE THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE

1. Make the vinaigrette – Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small glass jar, shake well and set aside.

MAKE THE SALAD

1. Roast the vegetables – Preheat oven to 375 f/190 c and on a large baking tray arrange red pepper and zucchini and drizzle over the olive oil. Place in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are soft and cooked. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Cook the couscous – While the vegetables are cooking, make the couscous. In a large saucepan, add the dry couscous. Evenly pour over the vegetable broth. Cover with plastic wrap and then the saucepan lid. Leave for 10 minutes.
3. Fluff the couscous – When the couscous is cooked, remove lid and plastic wrap and fluff with a fork.
4. Combine all salad ingredients – Transfer the couscous to a large bowl. Add all the vegetables, the tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well. Pour over the vinaigrette and give another stir. Add the parsley, lemon zest and feta cheese, reserving about 1/4 of each for topping the salad at the end.
5. Garnish and serve – Top salad with remaining parsley, lemon zest and feta cheese. Can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.

Recipe Tips

• Cooking couscous – It’m important not to cook couscous over heat. The boiling stock will cook the couscous off the heat. If you cook couscous over heat, it will likey become soggy and mushy.
• Time saving tips – If you are planning on making this for a dinner or lunch, it can be made in advance. Alternatively, you can prep and cook everything in advance and then assemble it just before serving.

Substitutions

• Vegetables – You can use any colour peppers that you like, eggplant, and even red onions work too.
• Parsley – Basil and chives will work.
• Feta cheese – You could use cubed mozzarella, mozzarella pearls or goat cheese for this recipe.

Serving and Storage

And if you’re looking for something to serve with this salad, give the Lemon Garlic Shrimp a try.

• Serving
  • This couscous would go wonderful with the Green Olive Chicken or the Roasted Spatchcock Chicken. I also love it with the Lemon Garlic Shirmp or the Moroccan Spiced Pork Kebabs.
• Storage
  • This couscous salad will keep for about two days covered in the fridge. It’s best to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

This Roast Vegetable Couscous Salad is light and fresh. Fluffy couscous filled with Mediterranean roasted vegetables, chickpeas and herbs. A great lunch idea or as part of a bigger dinner.

Check out this recipe

Sauteed Wild Asparaus with Couscous

This Sautéed Wild Asparagus Couscous is your perfect side dish. Light and fluffy couscous with tender sauteed asparagus, protein packed chickpeas and finished off with fresh parsley. This dish would make a great lunch, side to a barbecue or even to bring to a potluck.

Check out this recipe

Harissa Spiced Quinoa

Have you ever tried harissa? It's a wonderful spice that adds so much flavour and a little spice to pretty much anything it touches. So today I'm bringing you this Harissa Spiced Quinoa with a little North African flare.

Check out this recipe

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Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

This Lemon Herb Couscous Salad is a perfect salad to enjoy any time of year. Light an fluffy couscous with roasted vegetables, salty feta cheese, fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: couscous, feta cheese, lemons

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 cup couscous uncooked
• 1 1/2 Cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium red pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 Tomato de seeded and diced small
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Cup chickpeas cooked
• Zest of one lemon
• 3/4 Cup Feta cheese crumbled

For the dressing:

• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 cloves Garlic crushed
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make the Lemon Vinaigrette

• Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small glass jar, shake well and set aside.

Make the Salad

• Preheat oven to 375 f/190 c and on a large baking tray arrange red pepper and zucchini and drizzle over the olive oil. Place in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are soft and cooked. Remove from oven and set aside.
• While the vegetables are cooking, make the couscous. In a large saucepan, add the dry couscous. Evenly pour over the vegetable broth. Cover with plastic wrap and then the saucepan lid. Leave for 10 minutes.
• When the couscous is cooked, remove lid and plastic wrap and fluff with a fork.
• Transfer the couscous to a large bowl. Add all the vegetables, the tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well. Pour over the vinaigrette and give another stir. Add the parsley, lemon zest and feta cheese, reserving about 1/4 of each for topping the salad at the end.
• Top salad with remaining parsley, lemon zest and feta cheese. Can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 330 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 846mg37%

Potassium 320mg9%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 1069IU21%

Vitamin C 35mg42%

Calcium 124mg12%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Lemon Herb Couscous Salad appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Sheet Pan Chicken Dinners are a great way to put together a meal in a hurry. And I can’t think of a more perfect way to start September than with this Spiced Moroccan Sheet Pan Dinner. Chicken thighs, with potatoes, carrots and olives all wrapped up in a flavourful Moroccan Spice Blend.

This dinner can be put together in a hurry and it takes about an hour in the oven. A fantastic way to get a Chicken Dinner on the table any day of the week.

Ingredients

• Chicken – For this recipe I used skinless, bone in chicken thighs.
• Vegetables – I chose to use a large baking style potato for this recipe along with carrots.
• Olives – Olives add a great flavour to this dish and I used a small green pitted olive.
• Moroccan seasoning – to make the spice blend, I combined olive oil, honey, minced garlic, honey, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper. All of these flavours bring this dish to life!
• Garnish – I added a little chopped parsley to the finish dish for an addition of freshness. 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is always located in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 390 degrees f/200 degrees c.
2. Make the Moroccan spice blend – In a small bowl combine the olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Stir well and set aside.
3. Arrange chicken and vegetables – Place the chicken thighs on the sheet pan spaced apart. Then scatter all the vegetables around the chicken, evenly spaced out.
4. Pour over spice blend – Pour over the olive oil mixture and stir around to completely coat.
5. Cook – Place in the oven and bake for about 55 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven 1/2 way through roasting and pour pan juices over the chicken and vegetables.
6. Garnish and serve – Remove from oven and garnish with chopped parsley if using.

Recipe Tips

• Pan size and type – I used a large low rimmed baking sheet for this dinner. As you can see the food nestled in nicely. By not having space around the chicken or vegetables, the food will produce more pan juices.
• Evenly cut vegetables – When cutting the vegetables, try to make them as close to the same size as possible. Uneven sized vegetables will cook differently and you may end up with overcooked or under cooked vegetables.
• Coat completely – to ensure all the chicken and vegetables are coated evenly, I recommend wearing gloves and using your hands to coat everything completely.
• Pour over pan juices – At the half way cooking mark, about 1/2 hour, remove the sheet pan from the oven and spoon over any pan juices. Return to oven and allow to finish cooking.

substitutions

• Chicken thighs – I used bone in, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. You can choose to leave the skin on if you prefer. You could also use boneless chicken thighs. If you prefer to use chicken breast, you can. Just keep in mind, chicken breast is drier than chicken thighs.
• Potatoes & carrots – both of these vegetables went so well in this dinner. You could also use pumpkin, squash or sweet potatoes. If you like onions or leeks, they would also make a nice additions.
• Green olives – the green olives give a great flavour to this dish as seen in my Green Olive Chicken. You can subsitute any variety of olives that you like. Kalamata olives would also work. Just make sure the olives are pitted. And if you are using really large olives, I’d recommend cutting them in half.
• Moroccan Spice – Much like my Moroccan Spice Seasoning, this seasoning is full of rich flavours. I don’t recommend making many changes as it’s been tweaked just right. There is honey in the mix for sweetness. If you prefer to leave out the honey, you can do so.
• Garnish – I used fresh chopped parsley. Cilantro would work wonderfully in this dish as well.

What To Serve With This Moroccan Dinner

This is a complete dinner in itself. But here’s a few things that would go great on the side.

• Stove Top Nann Bread
• Fluffy White Dinner Rolls
• Spiced Zucchini & Eggplant
• Onion Bhajis with Spicy Mango Chutney
• Homemade Falafel

Frequently Asked Questions

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Moroccan Spiced Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner

Why not spice up any week with this delicious and easy Moroccan Spiced Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner. With all the flavours of my Moroccan Chicken and Rice but a whole lot quicker to put together!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: chicken dinner, easy meals, sheet pan dinner

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 685kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs approximately 4 – 6 chicken thighs depending on the size.
• 3 medium potatoes scrubbed and cut into about 2 inch pieces
• 4 medium carrots peeled, ends trimmed and cut into about 2 inch pieces
• 1/3 cup pitted green olives
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 390 degrees f/200 degrees c.
• In a small bowl combine the olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Stir well and set aside.
• Place the chicken thighs on the sheet pan spaced apart. Then scatter all the vegetables around the chicken, evenly spaced out.
• Pour over the olive oil mixture and stir around to completely coat.
• Place in the oven and bake for about 55 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven 1/2 way through roasting and pour pan juices over the chicken and vegetables.
• Remove from oven and garnish with chopped parsley if using.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

1. Pan size and type – I used a large low rimmed baking sheet for this dinner. As you can see the food nestled in nicely. By not having space around the chicken or vegetables, the food will produce more pan juices.
2. Evenly cut vegetables – When cutting the vegetables, try to make them as close to the same size as possible. Uneven sized vegetables will cook differently and you may end up with overcooked or under cooked vegetables.
3. Coat completely – to ensure all the chicken and vegetables are coated evenly, I recommend wearing gloves and using your hands to coat everything completely.
4. Pour over pan juices – At the half way cooking mark, about 1/2 hour, remove the sheet pan from the oven and spoon over any pan juices. Return to oven and allow to finish cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Moroccan Spiced Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 685 Calories from Fat 378

% Daily Value*

Fat 42g65%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7g

Monounsaturated Fat 22g

Cholesterol 167mg56%

Sodium 477mg21%

Potassium 1283mg37%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 10342IU207%

Vitamin C 36mg44%

Calcium 77mg8%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You soon!

The post Moroccan spiced Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Admittedly, I was a late bloomer to Hummus. In fact, I didn’t even know what it was until my late 20s when I met my husband. I was more of a Spicy Salsa or Pico de Gallo kind of girl. Give me any kind of a Mexican style dip and I was happy.

The flavours of the Mediterranean, when it came to dips, just passed me by. Didn’t have anything against them, I just didn’t know about them. Until my husband ordered it as a part of a tapas plate in a pub. Ummm, I willing to try right?

It was love at first bite and I knew I’d be making it at home soon enough for myself. So let’s take a look at how to make this easy dip.

What We Need to Make The Classic Hummus

• Cooked chickpeas
• Tahini paste
• Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Salt

REMEMBER, You will find the full recipe with instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Instructions

1. Peel the chickpeas – gently rub each chickpea to loosen and remove the skin. Repeat for all chickpeas and discard the skins.
2. Add ingredients to food processor – add lemon juice, olive oil, thaini paste, garlic, salt and water to a food processor. Pluse on high for about a minute.
3. Add chickpeas – add the chickpeas to the food processor and pulse on high for 3 – 4 minutes until really smooth. Scrape down the sides as necessary when blending. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more cold water as needed.
4. Serve – remove the hummus from the food processor and transfer to a serving dish. Serve with pita bread, crackers or raw vegetables.

Recipe Tips

• Taste as you go – the portions of lemon to olive oil to garlic are my personal taste. If you like it with a bit more lemon, add some. Same goes for garlic and olive oil. I feel it’s perfect just like this, but make adjustments as necessary.
• Use soft chickpeas – if using can chickpeas, make sure they are really soft, almost mushy. if they are not really soft, you will not get a smooth hummus. I recommend cooking the can chickpeas for a further 15 – 20 minutes in boiling water if they are not soft enough. This isn’t usually necessary, just depending on brand of chickpeas you are using.
• Cook chickpeas from dry – if you would like to make this recipe using dry chickpeas, see the notes section in the recipe card at the end of the post.
• Storing homemade hummus – you can store this homemade hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.

Substitutions and Variations

• Kalamata olive hummus – you can add in about 1/2 cup of black olives with the chickpeas.
• Sun dried tomato hummus – this is an amazing flavour. Just add about 1/2 – 3/4 cups of sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained) to the food processor with the chickpeas.
• Roasted red pepper hummus – these also make a great addition. You can roast your own red peppers or buy them in a jar ready to go. Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red pepper strips with the chickpeas for a unique flavour.
• Garnishes – I’ve garnished this with a few chickpeas, olive oil and parsley. You could use other variations like sumac, paprika, cumin, toasted sesame seeds and/or cilantro.

What To Serve With Hummus

• Serve it as a dip – I like this best served as a dip with vegetables, crackers, toasted pita bread. It goes great with vegetables like carrot sticks, bell peppers, celery and cucumber slices.
• Spread it on sandwiches – Hummus makes a great filling for sandwiches. You can eat it just as is or add your favourite deli meats, cheese or vegetables.
• Mix it into salads – it also goes great mixed into Mediterranean salads. Don’t be afraid to mix a few tablespoons in with a vinaigrette and then add it to you salad. Delish!

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more ways to use Chickpeas, Then Take a Look At this Roundup

Get the recipe for 12 Ways to use Can Chickpeas!

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Classic Hummus

This Classic Homemade Hummus Recipe is a wonderful snack food or party dip that's really easy to make. Using just chickpeas as the base with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and tahini paste for a super flavourful dip!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: Appetizer, Dip, vegeterian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 298kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 2 cups chickpeas cooked
• 1/3 cup tahini paste sesame seed paste
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• Salt to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• First peel the chickpeas. Gently rub each chickpea to loosen and remove the skin. Repeat for all chickpeas and discard the skins.
• Add lemon juice, olive oil, thaini paste, garlic, salt and water to a food processor. Pulse on high for about a minute.
• Add the chickpeas to the food processor and pulse on high for 3 – 4 minutes until really smooth. Scrape down the sides as necessary when blending. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more cold water as needed.
• Remove the hummus from the food processor and transfer to a serving dish. Serve with pita bread, crackers or raw vegetables.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

HOW TO COOK DRY CHICKPEAS

• In a large saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of dry chickpeas with water.  Fill the pot almost to the rim with water.  Leave to soak overnight.
• After the chickpeas have soaked for 8 hours, change the water and refill the pot with water.  Cook over medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours until the chickpeas are really soft.  if they are still not really soft at this point, continue cooking for about 30 more minutes.  Add more water if necessary.
• When fully cooked and soft, drain and rinse. 
• Remove skins as you would would in the written recipe above.

OTHER NOTES

• Taste as you go – the portions of lemon to olive oil to garlic are my personal taste. If you like it with a bit more lemon, add some. Same goes for garlic and olive oil. I feel it’s perfect just like this, but make adjustments as necessary.
• Use soft chickpeas – if using can chickpeas, make sure they are really soft, almost mushy. if they are not really soft, you will not get a smooth hummus. I recommend cooking the can chickpeas for a further 15 – 20 minutes in boiling water if they are not soft enough. This isn’t usually necessary, just depending on brand of chickpeas you are using.
• Storing homemade hummus – you can store this homemade hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.

Nutrition Facts

Classic Hummus

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 298 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 11mg0%

Potassium 401mg11%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 37IU1%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 73mg7%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You soon!

The post Classic Homemade Hummus Recipe appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Okay, so this rice dish is dee-licious! If you’re a fan of exotic flavours like you’ll see in my Moroccan Chicken & Rice or my Moroccan Spiced Pan Seared Tuna, you’ll want to make this dish. And if you’re new to these flavours, don’t be shy, just dive in and give it a try.

Why You’ll Want To Make This Pilaf

• Flavour – first and foremost, it’s delicious. I know I just said that, but this rice dish truly is bursting with flavour.
• Ease – Unlike many rice dishes, this dish all cooks in one pan. So it’s pretty easy to make and a super easy clean up.
• Can serve hot or cold – I’ve been making variations of this dish for years and have served it hot and cold. It’s not only great with comforting winter dishes like Slow Cooker Chicken Curry, but great at room temperature at a barbecue with Grilled Shrimp.

Ingredients

• Dry goods – Basmati rice
• Liquid – Vegetable stock
• Fresh – onion and garlic
• Oil and spices – olive oil, dried turmeric and dried coriander
• Additions – pistachios and dried apricots

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instruction is always found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

1. Heat oil and garlic – Heat the olive oil in a medium sized skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for just a minute.
2. Cook onions – Add the diced onions and stir well. Cook down over medium heat for about 5 – 7 minutes until soft.
3. Add spices – Add the ground turmeric and ground coriander. Give a really good stir and let it cook until fragrant for about 2 minutes.
4. Pour in rice – Add the rice and stir to completely coat in the onions and spices. Pour over stock and add the diced dried apricots. Stir to evenly distribute. Reduce heat to low, cover and leave to cook for about 15 minutes or until all the stock has absorbed and rice is tender.
5. Finish dish – Remove from heat. Add chopped pistachios and fluff with a fork. Can garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if desired.

Notes About The Moroccan Pilaf Rice

• Measure liquid correctly – This is very important! I know the box is going to tell you to add way more liquid than is mentioned in this recipe. But please, don’t listen to the box. I’ve been making Basmati rice a long time and trust me, you don’t need as much liquid as the box says. You will end up with sticky rice if you use too much liquid.
• Don’t stir as it cooks – After you add the rice and stock, you need to cover the dish and leave it to cook as stated in the recipe. Stirring will create a creamier rice which is not what you are looking for. So just make sure to keep it covered and let it cook for the required time.
• Make sure to use a long grain rice – Pilaf rice dishes work best with long grain rice, so try to use either Basmati rice or another long grain white rice. Yes, you can even use a wild rice mix if you prefer like you will see in my Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Pine Nuts.

Are There Any Substitutions I can Make To this Rice Pilaf Dish

• Basmati rice – I used Basmati rice, but you could use another long grain white rice or even wild rice mix.
• Vegetable stock – If you prefer a different flavour, you can use chicken, beef or even a seafood stock. It just depends on what flavours you want the rice to take on.
• Nuts and dried apricots – both of these worked really well in this dish. However, you could use any nuts that you like. Pine nuts or almonds would be a great choice. You could also use chopped dates or raisins for the sweetness.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Moroccan Style Pilaf Rice

This Moroccan Style Pilaf Rice dish is easy to make and cooks in under 30 minutes. Fragrant Basmati rice cooked in a lightly spiced vegetable stock and full of nutty pistachios and sweet dried apricots. Your perfect side dish for baked fish, Moroccan Spiced Pork Kebabs or chicken.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: moroccan rice, pilaf rice

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 321kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
• 2 3/4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 small red onion peeled and finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 3/4 cup pistachios roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots roughly chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a medium sized skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for just a minute.
• Add the diced onions and stir well. Cook down over medium heat for about 5 – 7 minutes until soft.
• Add the ground turmeric and ground coriander. Give a really good stir and let it cook until fragrant for about 2 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir to completely coat in the onions and spices. Pour over stock and add the diced dried apricots. Stir to evenly distribute. Reduce heat to low, cover and leave to cook for about 15 minutes or until all the stock has absorbed and rice is tender.
• Remove from heat. Add chopped pistachios and fluff with a fork. Can garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if desired.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

I used Basmati rice for this recipe but you could use regular long grain rice as well.

Nutrition Facts

Moroccan Style Pilaf Rice

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 321 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Sodium 436mg19%

Potassium 399mg11%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 685IU14%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 44mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

The post Moroccan Style Pilaf Rice appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.

Hey friends. One of the things I promised myself for this year, is that I would get more spice blends and marinades on the blog. I have readers asking me where to find a recipe for a certain marinade or spice blend and my response always has to be “sorry”. This year I’m changing that and finally bringing some of my favourite spice blends to your kitchen. Along with my Homemade Cajun Seasoning and the Taco Seasoning, I also use this Moroccan Spice Blend often.

One of the great things about making your own spice blends, is that you get to control the flavours and enjoy is fresh as you make it. So, an overall better flavour. And that’s a complete win win situation. I don’t know when I started making my own blends, but it was a long time ago, maybe a few decades. Yes, that long. So, keep checking back to see how many I get out this year. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, do that so you get new emails to your inbox. Okay, let’s take a look at the seasoning.

Here’s What We Need To Make The Moroccan Spice Blend

Keep in mind, this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled or whatever amount you’d like to make. This recipe, makes four tablespoons.

• Ground cumin
• Ground ginger
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Ground coriander
• Chili flakes
• Whole cloves

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

How To Make And Store This Seasoning

• Grind spices – For this recipe I’m using some ground spices and some whole spices. I used a mortar and pestle to grind the spices. You could use a spice mill. Or, you could use all ground spices.
• Combine all seasonings – In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients in the recipe. Just whisk to combine and you’re done.
• Store in an airtight container – I like to use small glass spice jars, but you use what you have. This will keep fresh up to three months. It’s still good after that amount of time, but it just starts to lose it’s potency.

Spices Q & A

Do Spices Go Bad

The short answer is yes. They don’t go bad in the way that diary goes bad. So, nothing is going to happen to you if you use expired spices. But spices do lose their potency over time and therefore they lose flavour. Spices is the one thing I would tell you to never buy in bulk! Like don’t please. Unless you are planning on using a ton of a certain spice, buy them often as you need them. It will up the flavour in all your dishes.

How long do spices stay fresh

• Ground Spices – typically will stay fresh for about three months.
• Whole Spices – closer to a year, but some experts say about eight months.

what’s the difference between ground spices and whole spices

• Ground Spices – these are spices that are already in powder form when you buy them. They are great as well, but they don’t have as much flavour as whole spices.
• Whole Spices – these have the most flavour. Because they are in whole form, oxygen hasn’t gotten to them the way it would get to ground spices. Therefore, they have more flavour when you freshly grind them.

How Can I Use This Spice Seasoning

• Chicken Dishes – this is a great spice to add to plain chicken breast, tenders or chicken thighs. Also great in the Roasted Moroccan Chicken Dinner.
• Pork & Beef Dishes – Honeslty, this spice blend is great for pork and beef and you try it on the Moroccan Pork Kebabs
• Vegetable & Rice Dishes – You can toss some potato wedges in this spice blend and bake them or you could even add it to a Rice Pilaf.

Well friends, I hope you get a chance to make it and enjoy it as much as we do here at Julia’s Cuisine. Let me know if you love it or hate it. I’m here for all the feedback so don’t be shy…hahaha. Have a great Tuesday and I’ll see you all in a few days with more kitchen inspiration.

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Moroccan Spice Seasoning

This Moroccan Spice Seasoning takes just minutes to put together and can be used on chicken, fish, meat, vegetables and everything in between. It uses ingredients that you will already have in your cupboard and you get to control the flavours yourself.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Spice Blends

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: moroccan cuisine, moroccan food, spices

Servings: 4 tablespoons

Calories: 25kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

Instructions

• Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind down the cloves and the chili flakes together.
• Combine all the ground spices, including the ground cloves, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
• Use immediately or store in an airtight glass jar for up to three months.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Moroccan Spice Seasoning

Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)

Calories 25 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 1177mg51%

Potassium 114mg3%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 191IU4%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks for Stopping By & Hope To See You soon!

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Do you like couscous? Have you ever even tired it? Well, about 20 years ago, i was a stranger to the stuff and didn’t even know how to cook it or what it even was. Did you know that’s it’s wheat based and kind of like really small fine grains of pasta? Yes!

Couscous cooked in just minutes, which makes it a quick dish as well. In fact it’s even quicker than pasta and much quicker than rice. So if you’re short on time, grab a box of couscous and get going on your quick side dish for dinner.

What I love about couscous, is it’s versatility. It’s quite bland in flavour so will take on what ever you add to it. In this case, it loaded with peppers, zucchini, chickpeas and herbs. It’s full of flavour and a great Mediterranean style dish.

Delicious hot or cold.  I love serving it at barbecue events as it is one of those dishes that just really says summertime.  That being said, it is a fantastic side to Green Olive Chicken.

What We Need To Make The Roasted Vegetable Couscous

• Couscous
• Vegetable stock
• Red peppers
• Zucchini
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Chickpeas
• Fresh cilantro/coriander

REMEMBER, you will find the full recipe and instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Chop & Cook The Peppers & Zucchini

• Dice the vegetables – I cut mine into about 1 inch pieces. You can cut them a little smaller if you like.
• Preheat oven –– preheat the oven to 350 degrees c and have ready a large baking dish.
• Add vegetables to dish – add the vegetables to the baking dish. Drizzle over olive oil, add crushed garlic and season with salt.
• Roast the vegetables – roast between 30 – 40 minutes or until soft and slightly soft. Remove from oven and set aside.

How to Make Perfect Fluffy Couscous Every time

Please, try this method for cooking couscous. I’ve done it the box way for years and it always comes out mushy. This method will give you fluffy and perfectly cooked couscous every single time.

• Add dry couscous to pot – Measure 1 cup of dried couscous to a pot.
• Pour over stock – I used vegetable stock for this recipe. Pour over 1 1/3 cups of boiling vegetable stock
• Cover with plastic wrap – immediately cover the couscous with plastic wrap. Make sure it’s covered completely. You can then put a lid the top. Leave for 10 minutes.
• Fluff couscous – Using a fork, start to fluff the couscous. Start fluffing the top and working your way down through the couscous

Assemble The Roasted Vegetable Couscous Salad

• Combine all ingredients – Add the couscous, chickpeas and arugula leaves to the roasted vegetables and stir to combine.

IMPORTANT – only add the fresh arugula leaves if you are serving immediately. They will wilt in this salad if not eaten shortly after preparation. If you are planning to serve this later, add the arugula leaves just before serving.

Couscous Salad Ready To Enjoy

• This salad can be enjoyed right away or kept in the fridge for later.
• It can be made up to two days in advance. Don’t add the arugula until you are about to serve the salad.

What Dishes Can I serve with This Couscous Salad

• Chicken & Turkey – I’ve served this with the Green Olive Chicken so many times and it goes great. As well, the Roasted Spatchcock Chicken would be great.
• Fish & Seafood – Why not serve it alongside the Lemon Crusted Baked Cod or the Pan Fried Hake.
• Beef & Pork – Serve it with the Moroccan Spiced Pork Kebabs or the Barbecue Pork Tenderloin.

Are There Any Substitutions I can Make To This Couscous Salad

• Vegetables – You can use any colour poppers that you like, eggplant, and even red onions work too.
• Parsley – Basil and chives will work.
• Arugula leaves – these add a nice touch to the salad to add before serving, but you can leave it out if you prefer. Spinach will also work.
• Additional ingredients – The addition or cubed mozzarella or crumbled feta will also work.

Get The Recipe!

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US CustomaryMetric

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Delicious hot or cold. I love serving it at barbecue events as it is one of those dishes that just really says summertime.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: side dish, vegeterian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 red pepper roughly chopped
• 1 zucchini halved length ways and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup chickpeas cooked
• Bunch of fresh chopped parsley to serve

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and on a large baking tray arrange red pepper and zucchini. Drizzle over olive oil season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 30 – 40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and slightly scorched. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Add the dry couscous to pot and pour over boiling stock. Immediately cover the couscous with plastic wrap. Make sure it's covered completely. You can then put a lid the top. Leave for 10 minutes. Using a fork, start to fluff the couscous. Start fluffing the top and working your way down through the couscous until it is completely fluffed up.
• Now add the chickpeas and roasted vegetables. Give a good stir and top with fresh parsley.
• Can be served warm or cold. Will keep in the fridge up to two days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

1. Cook the couscous while the vegetables are in the oven roasting.  This saves on cooking time.
2. Important – only add the arugula when you are ready to serve the salad.  If will wilt if prepared in advance.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Amount Per Serving (6 servings)

Calories 188 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Sodium 605mg26%

Potassium 255mg7%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 805IU16%

Vitamin C 32mg39%

Calcium 27mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

thanks for stopping by and hope to see you soon!

The post Roast Vegetable Couscous Salad appeared first on Julia's Cuisine.