Recipe: Shrimp Curry Couscous and Are You a Fat Chef or Skinny Gourmet?
Eating healthy is a way of life, some may argue that it is a boring way of life. They might say, food is about passion, and that you shouldn’t dumb down that passion through making it healthy all the time. I am certainly one to splurge but I really believe that some of the healthiest foods are the tastiest. For me there is no question of what I would prefer given the choice of a nice juicy marbled steak with Bearnaise sauce or a sushi roll. Who can argue that fresh vegetables from the garden are something most of us look forward to every year?
A list of my favorite foods include cheese, beans, hummus, olives, yogurt, papaya, salads of all varieties, avocados, almonds, artisan bread, ice cream and nice fresh sushi. So for me, healthy does not equal tasteless or boring – to me it equals fresh, unrefined, un-tampered with goodness. “Healthy” means something different to different people. For me, it is about moderation and the above qualifications are more important than calories and fat, calories and fat are natural, they are in everything, there is good and bad and they are important for a balanced diet. For me it is more important that my food is free of chemicals, hormones, additives, preservatives and dyes. So when you think about that, a diet of all my favorite foods fit into my category of “healthy”.
Here is another Leftover Queen classic! It was one of those meals which kind of cleaned out the fridge of Farmers Market finds and the pantry of dry goods . I made this when we were spending a weekend at home and had some time to kill. Usually if we are home on the weekend, we spend one day making and prepping food for the following week. We made bread, ice cream, sauces and usually a nice meal – that will produce leftovers!
When we made this we had some for dinner one night and then the next day, ate it like a cold salad at the beach. It is so flavorful, healthy and full of goodness. This made quite a lot so we had lots for lunches the following week.
This is one of those recipes that you can substitute anything you like. For us, the combination of the shrimp, pine nuts and raisins backed by the curry flavor was amazing! I am submitting this in Ben and Ivy‘s Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets event promoting healthy foods. I wanted to show that cooking healthy is a lifestyle and not something that needs a lot of planning to achieve. If you have a well stocked pantry full of whole grains, legumes and whole wheat pastas, as well as a freezer and fridge full of vegetables that have already been washed and are ready to use, cooking healthy is a breeze. You can create awesome stir fries, couscous, hash and healthy pasta and bean dishes in a flash.
Healthy foods are not boring, especially when you are using local, seasonal produce that is at the height of flavor and freshness in tandem with what is already in your pantry.
Shrimp Curry Couscous
INGREDIENTS:
1 box of instant whole wheat couscous – perfect to have on hand for a quick meal
2 TBS olive oil
2-3 carrots cut in small dice
½ red onion
½ can of organic garbanzo beans
¼ cup pine nuts – toasted
¼ cup raisins
couple handfuls of frozen peas
handful of assorted greens – beet and chard
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
½ tsp tumeric
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz. extra large raw shrimp
METHOD:
Cook the couscous according to package directions. In a large skillet, heat the oil and sautee the veggies, peas, raisins and pine nuts together. Add the spices and sautee until veggies are tender and raisins are plump. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and look like a “c”. In a big bowl toss the sautee with the couscous and serve. Can be eaten hot or cold.
Peter G - June 11, 2008 at 10:06 am
A truly healthy meal Jenn…and delicious sounding too! A well stocked pantry and fridge are a must! I love the combo of prawns and curry.
núria - June 11, 2008 at 10:27 am
So true that eating healthy is not boring at all and the combinations of aliments are never ending!
I’m seeing all these couscous recipes lately and I still haven’t tried my own… I love the idea of mixing the veggies and the prawns! It looks wonderful 😀 Jenn!
Happy Cook - June 11, 2008 at 10:30 am
Wow those scampis look mouthwattering.
I am just drooling here.
I do agree buing local seasonal food is not booring at all.
I look forward always to the seasonal veggies and fruits.
Ivy - June 11, 2008 at 10:31 am
I want to dig into my screen and grab that shrimp in the first picture. Your dish is both healthy and delicious. Jenn, thanks for participating and you described the whole meaning of our event. You said everything better than we did. You will be surprised to see the delicious recipes everybody has submitted when the time for the round-up comes.
MyKitchenInHalfCups - June 11, 2008 at 11:22 am
100% correct on all points Jenn! That is really healthy and not a whiff of boring!
Gorgeous.
Bellini Valli - June 11, 2008 at 12:31 pm
This is definitely a healthy and tasty meal. “Good for you” doesn’t have to be boring:D
Judy - June 11, 2008 at 1:22 pm
What a great looking meal! Totally healthy and so far from boring!!!
Mallika - June 11, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Cous cous is a firm cupboard staple in my home. And can I just say I TOTALLY agree with your moderate approach to healthy eating. I like being conscious too, but there’s no harm in the odd greasy feast or chocolate indulgence…
Peter - June 11, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Luckily I went and had Indian today for lunch…otherwise this would send me in to curry DT’s!
Shrimp & curry are lovely…and the couscous mops up juices…c’est bon!
Kat - June 11, 2008 at 6:15 pm
That looks & sounds wonderful!
I know what you mean by eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. In the last month or so that we’ve been getting fresh seasonal produce from the farm I would say our menus have been much more interesting.
melissa - June 11, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Healthy foods *aren’t* boring. I’ve cooked less healthy in the past year because of wanting to learn a lot more, but cooking healthy is just as good and tasty in many ways. 🙂 Nice dish!
Ben - June 11, 2008 at 7:23 pm
I couldn’t agree more with you, Jenn. Healthy doesn’t mean boring or tasteless. If we can have “great” unhealthy foods, why can’t we have GREAT healthy ones? Great entry 😀
Simply...Gluten-free - June 11, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Your pictures are so amazing! I love healthy and non-healthy food. All things at the proper time 🙂
Brittany - June 11, 2008 at 10:44 pm
YES! It’s all about REAL food. This is one I’ll have to try.
Marie - June 12, 2008 at 12:24 am
I love everything you put in your couscous Jenn, The problem is I could eat the whole bowl! Portion control is what I try to work on.
marye - June 12, 2008 at 12:52 am
I used to be a skinny gourmet but after 8 kids and a metabolism shift I am working on being a fat chef. :/
The shrimp looks wonderful. 🙂
jen of a2eatwrite - June 12, 2008 at 7:00 am
Wonderful meal! I think I do my best cooking when I just make things based on what I have to use. And I was thinking healthy with my meal yesterday, too – I totally agree that healthy food definitely doesn’t need to be boring.
Helen - June 12, 2008 at 10:18 am
As you know Jenn, I totally agree with you that eating healthy is a way of life and should never be boring. I think your dish of shrimp and cous cous sounds amazing, I bet those sweet shrinp and fruits were great with the curry flavour and I love the texture of pine nuts.
Catherine - June 12, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Healthy, to me, is something that is recognizable food…something, as Michael Pollan would say, “something your great-grandmother would recognize!” A little butter won’t kill ya, but lots of simply prepared fresh produce and protein will actually enhance your life in many ways. I say, use common sense, think of community responsibility, and stay low on the food chain.
Very nice dish, Jenn!
The Leftover Queen - June 12, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Nice to see so many of you on the healthy bandwagon – although I must admit I am not really surprised, this “trend” in healthier eating seems to be sweeping the world, and I am so glad for it. 🙂
Thanks Peter G, I agree curry and shrimp are a fabulous combination!
Oh wow, Nuria, you have never had couscous, huh? You should try it – like little pasta pearls! Yum!
Thanks Happy Cook! I agree there is just nothing as tasty as seasonal veggies and fruits!
Aw, thanks Ivy! Thanks to both you and Ben for organizing this awesome event! I am really looking forward to the roundup! I plan to get some good ideas there!
Thanks Tanna! 🙂
I absolutely agree, Valli!
Thanks Judy! 🙂
I completely agree, Mallika – it is all about moderation. We should have it all, but in little bits!
Thanks Peter! I am so jealous of your Indian lunch! I could so go for some right now!
I agree Kat – when I started letting the local produce dictate my menu, it made me much more creative!
I agree Melissa! Well, sometimes you have to be bad! 😉
I am so with you on that one Ben! Thanks to you and Ivy for arranging this awesome event! 🙂
Hi Simply! I agree variety and moderation!
Let me know how it goes Brittany – I am all about REAL food!
Marie, trust me, you could not eat the whole bowl of this, there was TONS!
yeah, portion control is key.
LOL, Marye! You are so funny! I think you are doing a great job, especially with all the baking you do!
Thanks Jen! I am all about using what you got – it is fun and economical!
I know Helen. Yeah, this dish was great especially with all the components – they worked so well together!
I agree with that logic, Catherine, and I have Pollan’s book on order at the library – can’t wait to read it – sounds like we have a lot of the same ideas.
Cris - June 12, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Your pictures keep telling me how lucky Roberto is to be able to sit with you at the table everyday and enjoy your meals. Eating healthy might be a little expensive here but it pays off! 🙂
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types - June 12, 2008 at 9:52 pm
You are absolutely right – between healthy ingredients and exotic spices, there’s a lot of variety in healthy foods – you can certainly eat simply and eat REALLY well!
Vani - June 13, 2008 at 2:58 am
Hi Jenn, started feeling hungry after seeing your shrimps….. looks delicious….. yummy yummy….:-)
Just wanted to let you know that I have add your blog to my blogroll.
Ivy - June 13, 2008 at 9:12 am
I have something for you at my blog.
Dharm - June 13, 2008 at 9:22 am
Oh Yum!! Those prawns look just lovely!
The Leftover Queen - June 13, 2008 at 11:54 am
Thanks Cris! That is so sweet! Eating healthy can be more expensive here in some cases, but I do my best to keep things as cost effective as possible. I mean I could just have had curried shrimp – but I knew adding couscous to it would stretch the protein, making it last longer!
Thanks TW! I think spices really make all the difference in the world – changing it up and making it interesting for your palate makes it seem like an indulgence!
Thanks Ivy! You are so sweet to keep awarding me with these gifts! 🙂
Thanks Dharm! Glad you like! 🙂
Deborah - June 13, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I totally agree with everything you said! Healthy cooking definitely doesn’t have to be boring. I’d much rather eat healthy and feel good about myself then “splurge” too often and be stuck in an unhealthy and uncomfortable body. I’m an everything-in-moderation girl!
The shrimp sounds divine!
Meeta - June 13, 2008 at 4:19 pm
This is a winner for sure. I love everything you’ve added to this. To make in my kitchen soon!
cookinpanda - June 13, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Love your combination of ingredients. Shrimp, raisins, and pine nuts. How unique and creative!
DebinHawaii - June 14, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Great subject for a post and a wonderful sounding recipe. Overall I cook and eat pretty healthy but can’t quite break the chocolate fix. 🙂 I agree that moderation is the way to go. I try to stock my pantry with healthier ingredients and cook healthy on the weekends so when I get home after a long day at work, I can heat up something better for me and take my lunch rather than buying out. I just got back from a trip to New York where health was not the concern–it was trying everything so this week I have been trying to “eat clean” and cleanse!
Jeff - June 14, 2008 at 5:16 pm
We’ve had a hell of a time finding whole wheat couscous!
katie - June 15, 2008 at 5:00 am
The nice thing about adopting a healthy (and flavorful) cooking style is one no longer has to ‘diet’ – or at least, not much.
I hate to see people going on this or that ‘diet’ to loose weight, then immediately put it back on when the diet is ‘over’.
Plus, if I normally eat healthy foods I don’t feel guilty with the occasional triple chocolate chunk macadamia nut brownie…or two…
Great shrimp!
Priyanka - April 12, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Hi there,
I stumbled upon ur blog when searching for shrimp recipes. I love your blog, blog description, your post headings, blog name etc!
Would love to revisit.
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