Spicy Israeli Couscous with Tofu and Green Beans

Ingredients

1 cup Israeli couscous

2 cups water

1 block tofu, cubed

2 cups fresh green beans

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Spicy Sauce

3 Tbs soy sauce (shoyu)

1 1/2 Tbs sriracha sauce

2 Tbs brown rice syrup

2 Tbs rice vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

2 Tbs water

Directions

1. Combine Israeli couscous and water in a large saucepan, cover with lid, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes

2. Meanwhile, saute tofu in nonstick pan on medium until golden, about 8 minutes

3. Add sesame seeds, saute 1 min

4. Whisk spicy sauce ingredients together and add to tofu

5. Add green beans to the tofu and simmer 5 minute until green beans are tender

6. Stir Israeli couscous into the tofu mixture

I am still loving the spicy sauce recipe that I found in the Vegetarian Time's magazine, so I have been finding new ways to use it. I was out of maple syrup, so I substitute brown rice syrup and it still had a great flavor. I also tried to use a little less sriracha sauce this time because it can be a little overwhelming. I got the fresh green beans from the farmer's market and they were very thin so they didn't take very long to cook, so if you have a thicker bean you may want to cook them longer. When I made this recipe I had steamed the green beans first for 3 minutes and then I added them to the tofu mixture, which resulted in them being overcooked. They tasted fine, but I prefer my green beans to still have a bright green color and to have a little crunch to them. So that is why I suggested to just add them with the sauce because the sauce will help to steam the beans. I highly recommend using the Israeli couscous or also know as Middle Eastern couscous. It has a comforting texture and it's a quick grain to cook.