Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash and Scallion Couscous

This last week has been very busy. I had to wrap up the Christmas break fast track class, and of course, the weather wouldn't let us slip by without disruptions. We had to make up a class, and so, I'm still waiting for final exams and essays to be submitted. In addition, we started the spring semester. I've got 4 sections of Composition II and 2 sections of Composition I. It's going to be a very busy semester. Fortunately, we have a long weekend. We're taking off Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And I'm happy to say that I have NO papers to grade. So, I'm going to try to kick back, relax, and fit in some fun activities.

Sometime, in the next couple of days Mari and I are going to make sushi....or at least California rolls. It wasn't easy, but I found the ingredients I need. When we had it in Mankato, the California roll had an orange roe (fish eggs) on it. Mari said that's actually a LA roll. I really liked that, but couldn't find any. The recipe I found called for black sesame seeds, that's the one thing I couldn't find, but I suspect it's not going to make a major difference on the flavor. And besides, this is our first attempt. I think we'll be lucky if any of it holds together. If this works out, we're going to try different kinds and then, maybe eventually have a sushi party. I'll definitely write about our adventure.

Tonight, I decided to try two new recipes that struck my fancy. They're both on page 80 of the January/February edition of Cooking Light. They are Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash and Scallion Couscous.

The Beef Tagine is very spicy and yet very hearty. I've been meaning to try couscous for a long time, and I'm glad that I finally did. If you haven't tried it before, it's sort of like rice, but small and pearl like. Think small tapioca. It is a great winter food that sticks to your ribs. And despite the fact that it's really quite healthy, the serving size is generous. I'll definitely eat this again. There are a lot of ingredients. Mari, it goes well past your limit of 5, but most of the ingredients are spices, and I had no trouble at all finding them, except the beef. The recipe calls for a shoulder roast. I had to settle for a rump roast, which worked well, except it was a bit tougher than I would have liked. I probably should have simmered it a lot longer than the recipe calls for.

This dish is worth it if for no other reason than to experience the aroma as you cook the spice-coated beef. It is heavenly, and it makes you feel as if you've been transported to somewhere exotic like Marrakesh.

I also screwed up. I was supposed to toss the beef in the spices, which I did, but I forgot to include the ground ginger. I realized this after I added the squash. So, I went ahead and added the ginger to the whole dish. I have no idea if that affected the taste or not. I guess I won't know until I make it again.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) beef shoulder roast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, quartered
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups (1-inch)cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef; toss well to coat.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add squash; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 4 serving (serving size: 1.5 cups)

Nutrition
Calories 283; Fat 9.5 grams; Protein 25.6 grams; Carbs 25.7 grams; Fiber 4.8 grams.
10 Weight Watcher's plus points

Scallion Couscous

Bring 3/4 cup fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1 cup uncooked couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped green onions. Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition
Calories 169; Fat 0.3 grams; Sodium 80 mg.
4 Weight Watcher's plus points