Do you want to stop time? Eat more often couscous. You can season it with vegetables, fish or meat (and there are also those who use it to prepare desserts). In short, this ingredient lends itself to the most imaginative recipes and allows you to create healthy, tasty and antiage. With the help of the doctor Roberta Madonna, nutrition biologist, we explain why.
An anti-free radical mix
Il couscous it consists of grains of semolina or durum wheat or others cereals, such as corn, barley or millet. «The whole wheat version contains riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin PP), both effective to fight free radicals, and many fibers, able to keep the inflammations responsible for premature aging at bay », explains our nutritionist.
“Also, the preparation preserves the properties of the grain unaltered, therefore it ensures you an effective cocktail of substances anti age such as minerals, including zinc, copper and especially selenium. A portion of couscous contains about half the recommended daily dose (27 of 55 mcg) of the latter mineral, which has a strong action anti-aging and it is also essential in the production of an enzyme, glutathione peroxidase, which is essential for protecting the body from free radicals. Finally, i grains from which this dish is made, absorbing a lot of water, moisturize fabrics and contribute to keep the skin young».
Method
Cuckoo alle 7 greenery from the Maghreb (recipe by chef Saadia Bouskhan, from the Moroccan restaurant Riad Yacout in Milan)
Ingredients for 4 people: 400 g of pre-cooked whole couscous, 300 g of pumpkin, 4 tomatoes, 2 small courgettes, 2 carrots, 2 small white turnips, 1 eggplant, 1 onion, 100 g of pre-cooked chickpeas, 2 cloves of garlic, 100 g of soaked raisins, 1 spicy red pepper, 4 sprigs of fresh coriander tied together, 1 sachet of saffron, 3 tablespoons of clarified butter, 3 dl of vegetable broth (prepared with 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery and 1 onion), harissa (spicy sauce made from red chillies, caraway seeds, extra virgin olive oil and garlic) eì, salt and pepper to taste
How to prepare it: Cut the courgettes in two lengthwise. Quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Scrape the carrots and cut them in half to length. Quarter the turnips and dice the eggplant. Cut the squash into slices. Quarter the onion, chop the garlic and chop the chilli. Heat the butter in a skillet, combine the carrots, turnips and onions, then brown. Add garlic, chilli and coriander, cooking briefly, then stir in the pumpkin, courgettes and eggplant and keep on the stove for another 4 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the couscous into a bowl and wet it with 4 dl of boiling salted water. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then divide the grains with a fork. Dissolve the saffron in the vegetable broth and pour it over the vegetables. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Season the couscous with the vegetables, after removing the coriander. Serve with chickpeas, raisins and harissa (in ethnic shops) and serve.
