Breakfast couscous, ready in five minutes. With a handful of raisins mixed in, rivulets of honey and a scoop of Greek yoghurt, it’s a great alternative to boring porridge.
Breakfast controversy
Breakfast is such a minefield these days. It used to be so easy: going to work on an egg, having it like a king, or a champion, at Tiffany’s if you had the luck.
For years it was the most important meal of the day from nutritional point of view, with research showing breakfast eaters were more likely to be happy and slim, and the skippers – fat and miserable.
It has all gone out of the window recently – that window of 8 or 6 or 1 hour within which you’re allowed to eat food. Whichever option of intermittent fasting you choose, breakfast gets it in the neck.
Are you a breakfaster or skipper?
I am very much old school on the topic: I’m a brekkie champion.
I have extensively tested, not always through choice, both having breakfast and skipping it, and beyond doubt it serves me better to break my fast in the morning.
From the general health point of view, it makes me feel more energetic. On the weight watching aspect, I can eat anything I like and a lot of it first thing without much impact on my weight. Cake for breakfast? That’s me, yes please!
But I don’t usually have cake but rather cereal because it’s a slow burner and sensible. And even though couscous is not a cereal but technically a pasta, it is supremely good for us. Plus, it’s the healthiest fast food.
How to prepare breakfast couscous
A bowl, a cup and a spoon – plus a small plate if you don’t want to waste a length of cling film at every single breakfast, and rightly so.
First off, get the milk warming up in the microwave (or a tiny milk pan on the hob) with a drizzle of honey and a dot of butter in it. One minute is all it will take and be mindful or the butter will splatter all over the microwave.
While that’s warming up, in goes the couscous into your favourite pretty cereal bowl. The ample amount for one for a breakfast is about 80g or half a cup.
Once you’ve measured it out, you’ll be able to eyeball it in the bowl (eyebowl it) for the future.
Plus a few raisins or sultanas, a few almond flakes and a good pinch of cinnamon because cinnamon is very good for you to have at breakfast.
The microwave beeps, you pour the milk over the couscous and cover the bowl with a small plate. Or a book. Or an iPad (probably best not on second thoughts). And you can leave it there for between five minutes and half an hour while you go off to do your morning things.
When you’re back, it’s ready to be fluffed up and tucked into.
Variations
It is not exactly a variation but how I always have it, with Greek yoghurt and extra honey. Just as nice and more indulgent will be a scoop of crème fraiche or a drizzle of double cream.
Instead of dried fruit, add seasonal and fresh. Berries in summer will be gorgeous, sliced banana all year round, chunks of apple in the autumn and citrus wedges around Christmas. You can also mix a handful of frozen fruit into dry couscous and warm the milk up a little bit more.
Add Ovaltine to the milk or hot chocolate powder. Swirl Nutella into ready couscous or top it with chocolate sprinkles.
Or go the other direction and replace milk with water. Add a pinch of salt flakes and a few crumbs of cottage cheese or ricotta.
And finally, what the hell: you can have it with jam.
More quick breakfast recipes
Date porridge is naturally sweet, prepared the night before and cooked within minutes into chunky, nutritious and kick-ass breakfast.
Overnight oats with yoghurt and fresh fruit, the healthiest breakfast and source of fibre. Overnight oats bowl is the simplest breakfast to prepare ahead and it will only benefit from being soaked in homemade yoghurt – find out how.
Homemade granola with olive oil and maple syrup, with seeds, nuts and dried apricots. It’s toasted in the oven till golden, crisp and irresistible.
More couscous recipes
Roasted summer vegetables with couscous, with dressing made from the juices of vegetables marinated in harissa, honey and spice mix.
Couscous with asparagus chunks, toasted pistachio nuts and fresh herbs, it’s a warm salad of perfectly matching ingredients.
Moroccan style couscous chicken salad, it can be served warm or cold. This couscous chicken salad is a summery dish, with the red peppers folded through, and it's light on calories.