Rainbow Couscous (Hot and Cold Variations)

We love playing games in our family.  And to say that we are a little competitive would be like saying Beyonce may have had success with one or two little songs.  It is cutthroat.

Recently, we have been playing a card game where there are several wild cards and the person sitting to your left can really do some damage if they want to .  And they almost always want to.  Except not almost.  Pretty much just always.

Just sitting down to play is like playing musical chairs except instead of taking the chair away from you, they’ve planted a nuclear weapon under that chair.

“I’m not sitting next to so and so,” we all say like they are radioactive.

“Oh no.  No way I am sitting next to Jerkface.”

It’s like Mean Girls, except worse.  The shopkeeper in Pretty Woman who basically kicked Julia Roberts out of the store looked like Glinda the Good compared to us.  We all become the Wicked Queen, Wicked Witch and Voldemort rolled into one.  On steroids.  Having a bad hair day.  And someone ate the last piece of cake on them.

Pretty much everything you learn in kindergarten and on Sesame Street about being nice and playing well with others not only goes out the window, we throw it out and into the gutter and then slam the window shut behind it after stomping on it.

Case in point:

In a recent game, it came down to the last few cards for everyone and we were all duking it out like we were contestants in The Hunger Games, and someone who shall remain nameless (Tim) slammed me with the “bad” wild card he had been saving when I only had one card left,  forcing me to pick up a huge pile that I was NEVER going to be able to get rid of.

Apparently, I had an out-of-body experience, because when I came to, there was a moment of shocked silence and then everyone burst out laughing.

“Whoa, you didn’t even take a breath during that whole monologue,” they marveled.  “And I don’t think it’s even physically possible for some of those things you mentioned doing to him to actually happen. Also, what was that string of words you used about 5 minute in?  Did you invent a new cursing language?”

I still have no idea what it was that I said, but I’m pretty sure it was well deserved.  And next time, I’m sitting on his left.

Ingredients for cold version:

• 1 cup couscous
• 1  1/2 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup asparagus pieces (not the tips, save those for another use)
• 1/2 cup orange pieces (cut each segment into several small pieces before measuring)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light green parts only
• 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons finely minced mint leaves

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the couscous and stir 5 minutes till lightly browned.
2. Add water and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Drain excess water and cool couscous.
3. Rinse out the pot and return to stove.  Add several inches of water and bring to a boil.  Add asparagus and cook for 1 minute (crisp-tender).  Remove from stove, drain and immediately run under cold water or put into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Set aside to dry.
4. When couscous and asparagus are cool and dry, add other veggies and orange pieces and stir to combine.
5. To make the dressing: in a small jar with a tight lid or bowl (with a whisk) combine the orange juice, minced garlic, mint and 2 teaspoons of olive oil.  Shake or whisk to combine.  Pour over the couscous mix and toss.  Refrigerate before serving.

Ingredients for hot version:

• 1 cup couscous
• 1  1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1  1/2 – 2 cups diced bell peppers (use a variety of colors)

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, saute the peppers in the olive oil 3-4 minutes till just tender.  Add the garlic and basil and saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute till fragrant.
2. Add couscous and broth, bring to a boil, cover and turn down to simmer.  Cook for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and stir.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!