Last week, I picked up this product at Trader Joe's because it looked interesting: Harvest Grains, a blend of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa. Quinoa is a very healthy grain and garbanzo beans are a good protein source. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes too cook. Sold! (for $2.69).
At home, I poured the grains out of the bag into a measuring cup. Aren't they pretty?
Next, I scanned my refrigerator for left-over vegetables and meat to combine them with. I found brussel sprouts, bok choy, some celery, green onion, and a third of a package of bacon.
This is the recipe I came up with. It was a great success! I hope that you will try it.
Harvest Grains with Bacon, Brussel Sprouts, Bok Choy and CeleryStart to Finish: Approximately 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients1/2 package of Trader Joe's Harvest Grains prepared according to directions
(1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water to cook the grains)
4 slices of Trader Joe's Applewood Smoked Nitrate and Nitrite Free Bacon each cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bunch (about 12 7-inch long leaves - green and white parts) of bok choy cut into 1-inch pieces
3 stalks of celery cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
6 brussell sprouts, quartered
1. Cook harvest grains according to directions. Since the bacon will supply cooking fat, it's not necessary to add an optional tablespoon of butter to cook the grains.
2. While the grains cook, heat a frying pan to medium-low heat and add the bacon pieces. Trader Joe's Applewood Smoked bacon is great because it's thick-cut bacon with less fat. It also has amazing flavor and isn't overly salty.
3. After the bacon has cooked for a couple minutes, add in the celery. At this point, spoon out some of the liquid bacon fat that is collecting in the pan to reserve in a glass or metal container to add back in later if you need more oil to cook with.
4. Next chop up and add the quartered brussell sprouts. Follow with the diced green onion. Be sure not to over cook any of the vegetables - you want them to remain bright green.
5. Once the bacon is looking done and the vegetables are still bright green, stir in the diced bok choy last. Add some reserved bacon fat if you need a little more to coat the vegetables for sauteing.
6. Finally, combine the cooked harvest grains with the sauteed bacon and vegetables and serve.