Couscous Vege Patties

Well I probably shouldn't of had these tonight but I picked up couscous instead of quinoa at the store and I thought bugger it I haven't had hardly any carbs all week. so I lashed out Yes Couscous is a carb, ..Me I am pre-diabetic and have managed to get my bloods back to 5 within a month after drastically changing my diet. I am doing pretty darn good though so good that my doctor doesn't want to see me for 6 months.. BUT I am making a few mistakes with my new diet like couscous !.. wow it is high carb. and I wouldn't even really put it in the healthy list if your a diabetic, there are far better options out there. Oh sure it is ok if your like 20 and burn carbs readily and have no health issues go for it,  but if your in your 50's and pre-diabetic well it probably isn't a great option.  Bit late to find this out now though I already ate them for dinner. I will chalk this up as a boo boo for my diet and next time I will double check before I cook

Couscous also has a higher glycemic index than other whole grains, weighing in at 65, while brown rice has a GI of 50 and bulgur 48. Diabetics may be better off choosing lower glycemic index foods to help maintain better blood sugar control.

The Verdict: Couscous can absolutely be part of a healthy eating plan but it shouldn’t take the place of true whole grains. Including a variety of grains will help ensure that you’re getting in all your essential nutrients.

 What you need:

• 1 cup whole wheat couscous (or use regular)
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/2 small stalk celery finely diced
• 1/2 capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 onion,chopped finely
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp tomato chutney
• zest of one lemon and 2 tsp of lemon juice
• about 2 heaped tbsp fresh plain yogurt
• salt to taste
• 1 small egg 50-60g whisked
• feta cheese  about 100g (optional)

What to do:

1. Place the couscous in a bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water. Close the lid and let it sit aside for about 10 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. 

2 .Fluff up the grains using a fork,  add cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper. Set aside.   

3 In a skillet, add the onions, garlic, carrot, celery, capsicum cook until soft.

4. add to the couscous along with the tomato chutney, lemon juice, zest, and whisked egg, yogurt and mix well adding the feta cheese last

5. roll into patties and set in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. 

6. Heat skillet with a little oil, coconut or olive, and cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side. You want a nice golden crust on both sides.
7. Serve with lots of green salad and either chutney, tzatziki , or sweet chilli sauce. (picture has Outback tomato chutney)

Couscous Vege Patties