Couscous is a good food to include in your meals if you are on a diet; a full cup has only around 170 calories, and it is very filling.

It is easy to use as a filler in a large variety of healthy dishes as it goes really well with nearly any kind of vegetable out there. It's a good option to use in place of rice or pasta, if you ever tire of using one of the two as a staple for your meals. It's a great go-to base for dishes on nights where you are looking to eat a good, easy to throw together dinner in a hurry.

It is made from seminola wheat and is a good form of fiber, protein, and B vitamins. It is low in both sodium and saturated fats. You can typically buy it the cheapest in your grocery store’s bulk food aisle.


How to cook it

It's really very easy and quick to make, here’s what you’ll need to do it:
• Saucepan
• Medium-size bowl
• Fork
• Dry couscous
• Water


These measurements will make four servings:
• 1 Cup Couscous
• 1 ¼ Cup Water
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt


Instructions:
Boil the water in the saucepan with the salt. Once you’ve got the water boiling gently, remove the saucepan from the stovetop and pour the water over the dry grain in a medium-sized bowl. Mix briefly, and then cover the bowl with a towel.

Let the mix sit covered for 5 minutes. Once 5 minutes has passed, use the fork to fluff up the grain. It sounds strange to “fluff” a food but once you see the texture, it will make sense.

Now your couscous is ready to eat! This is a great side to eat plain, in saucy dishes, or a stir-fry thick with vegetables. It is extremely versatile and it can be whipped up in 1/4 the time of rice. As you can see from the directions above, all you really need to make it is some boiling water and you're set!

Here’s one example of a healthy couscous recipe: Easy Veggie Stir Fry


Nutrition Information (for 1 cup cooked):
Calories: 170
Total Fat: 0.3 g
Saturated Fat: 0.0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 8 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 36 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Sugars: 0.2 g
Protein: 6 g