because it's deeee-ricious.

As a kid I remember finding it odd that other kids laughed at me when on my first day of school "About Me" sheet, I put salad as my favorite food. They also found it funny that I wanted to be an elephant when I grew up, but that's another story. Somehow or another I have always loved healthy foods, and that love has only grown into adulthood. I don't know if it was the collegiate development of my lactose intolerance, but somewhere along the way beef just no longer did it for me. Cutting into bloody meat honestly makes me vomit in my mouth a little, so I tend to avoid the stuff when I am the one cooking.

Thankfully I married a man who eats like a goat - meaning he will eat anything, anytime, anywhere.

Exhibit A:



Fish eyeballs in Nicaragua. And yes, that is a fu man chu.

Now if you add a distaste for raw meat to a newlywed budget, inevitably - a different palate will emerge. My love of all things veg seemed to be just the ticket for our poor(er) seminary years, as well as my growing interest in health and nutrition. Now I'll spare you a lecture on the evils of hydrogenated oils or the benefits of flax for menopausal women (THIS TIME), but I do find nutrition quite fascinating. I have learned a lot, particularly from here, here, and here. And if you're feeling brave, I would recommend this.

Inevitably, all of this has shaped the way that I cook, and if I'm entirely honest, the ways I look at food in general. (What, are you saying it's NOT normal to accuse your husband of not loving your unborn children by clogging his arteries with refined sugars or fast food ? Anyone? No? No one?) Call a therapist?

But seriously, I love discovering ways of cooking that are both delicious and healthy. While I am hesitant to call myself a foodie because of my borderline painfully frugal nature, I will say that I love to cook, and I love to try new foods. I mean, what's not to love about polenta and chia seeds?! Am I right, or am I right?

And thankfully yet again, I am married to a darling, darling man who has not once turned his nose up at a dinner consisting of tofu, sprouts or primarily legumes. Because of this, I can occasionally overlook the sausage biscuit or slab of red meat that may meander its way into our grocery cart.

Now I was hesitant to post recipes on this little blog o'mine, but decided to anyways because I am not foolish enough to think that many men poor over blogs each day, let alone my miniscule corner of the blogosphere. So ladies, below is a recipe that Baxter & I both happen to love - I for health reasons, and Baxter for reasons primarily related to cheese. Regardless of why, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, Edamame & Feta
adapted from Cooking Light


Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame (soybeans)
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 1/4 cups water, divided (I use low-sodium chicken broth)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup uncooked couscous
* 2 cups coarsely chopped green onions
* 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (Bx goes to TOWN when adding this to his plate!)

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add edamame, red pepper, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water, basil, chickpeas, and tomatoes; simmer 15 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and salt; bring to a boil. Gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in onions and feta; toss well.

Enjoy!