Moroccan Beef & Couscous

So this is another one where I had some odds & ends, found a recipe that used most of the ingredients, then changed it to fit what I felt like making. Original recipe is from GoodHousekeeping: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/moroccan-spiced-beef-couscous-2404

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 can chickpeas

1/2 zucchini, diced

1/2 yellow squash, diced

1/2 cup carrot, sliced

2 tbsp dried onion (I would have preferred a whole onion diced, but didn't have one)

2 tbsp dried cranberries

Cinnamon, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper

1 box wheat couscous

1 cup chicken stock

 Step 1: Dice the vegetables and saute in a frying pan over medium heat.

 Step 2: The recipe called for the beef to be cooked in the same pan, but if I were to do it again I'd cook the beef separately so I could drain the fat easier. Cook the beef until no longer pink.

 

Step 3: Add 2 tbsp of the cumin and paprika, and 1 tbsp of garlic and cinnamon.

Step 4: Open and drain the chickpeas, add to the pan and heat through. Stir in the cranberries and cover 2 minutes.

Step 5: Cook the couscous as directed. I put it in a microwave-safe pan with a cover, added the stock and included spice packet and microwaved on high 5 minutes. 

 Step 6: Fluff the cooked couscous. Put about 1/4 cup in a bowl, and spoon 1/2 cup beef and veggie mix on top. Enjoy!

I was given the advice to add onion (which I definitely will next time) and pineapple to add a bit of sweet, which I totally agree with. I might try adding eggplant too. You could use any vegetable you like, and try different spices too. The beefy, soft veggie, sweetness combo is perfect over soft fluffy couscous.