Hummus-couscous loaf

Yield: 4 servings

Measure Ingredient
1 cup Couscous
2½ cup Water
¼ cup Water
1 teaspoon Olive oil
1 small Eggplant, cut into french-fry sized strips
2 \N Carrots, chopped into very small pieces(minced)
2 \N Cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon Salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1½ cup Cooked chickpeas
1 tablespoon Sesame tahini paste Freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
1½ cup Vegetable broth, or 1 1/2 cups water mixed with 1 tablespoon vegetable broth seasoning
2 tablespoons Egg replacer or potato starch
2 tablespoons Wheat flour Paprika, freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan, add the couscous and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Cook until all the water is gone, about 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat.

While the couscous is cooking, saute the vegetables. On a large saucepan, spray the olive oil on the pan or brush with a pastry brush. Add the water and heat over moderate heat until the water starts to simmer. Add the eggplant strips, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute until soft, adding a little more water if too dry. Then turn off the heat.

In a mixing bowl or blender, mix the chickpeas, tahini paste, lemon juice, and vegetable broth. Using a hand blender or blender, blend into a smooth paste. Then add the egg replacer or potato starch, and the flour. Blend until smooth.

With the heat turned off on the large saucepan, add the chickpea (hummus) mixture to the vegetables and coat well. Then add the couscous and mix the vegetable/hummus mixture into the couscous.

Lightly grease a glass bread loaf pan with olive oil. Add the couscous/vegetable/hummus mixture. Press into the loaf pan. Dust the top of the loaf with paprika and black pepper.

Bake 50-55 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve in thick slices with a green vegetable such as cooked spinach, a salad such as lettuce topped with fresh orange slices, and if desired, a bread such as warm whole-wheat pita bread. - Mary Howard

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