Morrocan Turkey with Arugula Couscous

Since the stress of having way to much to do is wiping my mind clean of good blogging ideas, I thought I'd finish up some of these recipe posts I've been wanting to finish. This one is one of our new favorites - super easy, healthy, and different enough from normal to feel special:) Both are from Cooking Light!

The side dish is one of those easy things that sounds fancier (doesn't any dish automatically sound more high class with arugula in it?)

Arugula Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup uncooked couscous
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups arugula
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in uncooked couscous and salt. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in arugula, olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper.

And that's it! Such a great side for any kind of middle eastern styled dish.

Of course, you need such a dish to eat with it, and this moroccan turkey is great! Technically, the recipe calls for lamb, but turkey is a great substitution.  

Moroccan Turkey

• Ingredients:
• 1 pound lean ground lamb
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 cups vertically sliced onion 
• 1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon rind 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce can) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained 
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

How to Make It:

1. 1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble. 
2. 2. Remove turkey from pan with a slotted spoon. Discard drippings. 
3. 3. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes. 
4. 4. Add cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and pepper; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. 
5. 5. Add reserved lamb, broth, and next 5 ingredients (through chickpeas); bring to a boil. 
6. 6. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until mixture thickens. 
7. 7. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

Of course, being me, I added a huge amount of cumin and coriander to the turkey, and it was fabulous.

Such a great dinner - definitely give it a try!