This vegetarian mushroom couscous has all the vegetables and spices that your body needs. The Portobello mushrooms in this dish are particularly healthy for your heart.
A Vegetarian Mushroom Couscous Is The Tasty Meal Your Heart Needs
By making this meal, you will never feel hungry or want meat again. It is very satisfying and packs delicious flavors. Plus, it just takes a few minutes to make, so pretty low-effort on your side.
What makes Portobello mushrooms healthy for your heart?
These mushrooms are a fantastic source of soluble fiber. They are the perfect type of fiber to eat if you have high cholesterol and high blood sugar.
You can rely on these mushrooms to remove cholesterol from your blood, as it absorbs bile in your body. Bile is the keeper of cholesterol in your body, and as it is removed, more and more cholesterol leaves too. As you may know, high cholesterol is the number one cause of blood vessel blockage and heart disease.
On the other hand, your body absorbs soluble fiber more slowly, and along the way, it slows down the absorption of glucose. Eating foods high in soluble fiber helps manage how your body uses sugar, which prevents spikes and diabetes, lowering the risk for heart disease as well.
Finally, Portobello mushrooms contain complex carbohydrates—also known as polysaccharides—that have been proven to reduce inflammation pathways. If you eat mushrooms constantly, you can reduce damage to your cells and organs that can hurt your heart too.
What about the other vegetables and spices?
Red onions, zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, cilantro, cardamom, and paprika are all amazing ingredients to include in your dish.
For one, these vegetables are high in vitamin C, A, B complex, potassium, and fiber. All of these nutrients help regulate cellular activities, as well as muscle contractions. These also promote healthy removal of cholesterol, like mushrooms do.
The cardamom and paprika are great anti-inflammatories which, along with mushrooms, prevent damage to your heart.
Discover another healthy mushroom recipe here: Stir Fry Portobello Mushrooms and Vegetables [Recipe]
Vegetarian Mushroom Couscous
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 zucchini, coarsely diced
1 yellow squash, coarsely diced
1 carrot, coarsely diced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely diced
1/2 cup (64 g) sliced baby portobello mushrooms
4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth
1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp diced fresh cilantro
1 can 16 oz (400 g) chickpeas, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 cups (256 g) dry couscous
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
1 tbsp finely diced toasted almonds (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oil in the pan and stir fry carrots, onions, squash, and zucchini for 7 min.
- Stir in yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, and mushrooms, allow to cook for 4 min.
- Now season with paprika, salt, cardamon and cilantro. Stir well to coat.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add in tomatoes and chickpeas.
- Let the mixture simmer, and add the couscous. Cover and turn off the heat.
- Allow couscous to absorb half of the liquid for 7 min.
- Best served topped with almond, orange zest, paprika, and grated cheese.
- Enjoy!
