Couscous for Breakfast or Snack

Couscous with Dried Fruit, Nuts, and Spices

Ingredients:  

Couscous
Your favorite dried fruits
Your favorite nuts
Your favorite spices - (Adding turmeric will give you a beautiful yellow color)

Directions for Couscous with Nuts, Dried Fruit and Spices:

This is a really quick and easy breakfast or snack.  To prepare, I like to add a little turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, raisins, dates, and dried cranberries when cooking the couscous.  Then, I garnish with some roasted cashews, walnuts, almond, pistachios, or pine nuts.  You can serve hot or cold.

Dried Fruit and Nuts

Dates, Raisins, Dried Cranberries, Nuts and Turmeric

Turmeric Piece

Raisins, Cashews at an Open Air Market in Old Delhi

Raisins

Dried fruits and nuts mixed together with your favorite spices is a satisfying combination.  I like to pan or oven roast a mixture together for a healthy snack or for adding color, texture and flavor to a rice dish, yogurt or salad. 

Note:  Nuts will last longer if you buy them raw and then roast them yourself on a per usage basis.

Styling and Photographing Food

When I photograph food, I focus on color combination and styling.  Rich vibrant color sings out to give food its appeal. Turmeric’s yellow color not only makes for an impressive visual presentation, it also adds a mild earthy flavor to other ingredients, such as the rice here.  The deep green of the cilantro and the light green-yellow of the lemon mixed with the turmeric colored rice made for the perfect photo.

Autumn Leaves and Yellow Turmeric

Roasted Red Potatoes with Turmeric and Herbs

Roasted Red Potatoes with Turmeric and Herbs

Turmeric adds a warm autumn glow to your pan or oven roasted potatoes while, also deepening the rustic flavor.  Herbs from my window garden make an impressive and colorful final touch.

Turmeric's Health Benefits and Vibrant Color

Turmeric has a rustic, earthy, and slightly bitter flavor, while its color is a fiery golden orange that adds warmth and depth to your dish.  Besides having vibrant color and engaging taste, turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and powerful antioxidant.  It combats the effect of free radicals as well as Alzheimer's disease.  Adding a little turmeric to your cooking can be a win-win situation for both your brain and your taste buds.

Turmeric with Dried Red Chillies