Happy dishes and a favorite meal

My happy dishes have made their way back to our table again. Last night they were filled with one of our favorite ways to eat zucchini. We usually eat this as a main dish, but it's also great as a side with grilled chicken.

Veggie Veggie Couscous

for the veggie part:

2 Tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional- I don't always add these and if I do, only half the can)

16 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup raisins

Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle spices over onion and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Add zucchini, chickpeas (if using), tomatoes and raisins. Cover pan and lower heat to medium. Stir occasionally until zucchini is tender and juices have thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve with couscous.

For couscous: Boil 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbs butter and a tsp of salt. Stir in one cup of whole wheat couscous and remove pain from heat. Let stand 5-10 minutes and then fluff with fork before serving.

Another delicious variation is to add a diced red pepper in with the onions. Really, you can't fail with this one. We love this dish and can't wait til we have lots of generous neighbors unloading zucchini on us like crazy!