African Red Beans & Couscous

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 cups dried red beans
• 6 cups water
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed (or potato)
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 1/2 cups soymilk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• black pepper
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups whole wheat couscous
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 soak beans overnight. drain and rinse beans well. place beans in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot with 6 cups water and tomatoes. bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours until tender. add more water during cooking if necessary, using just enough to make a gravylike sauce. you can cook this in the crockpot if you like, on high for 4-5 hours, checking occasionally(remember you still want at the end a gravylike consistency).
• 2 in a medium skillet, sauté onions, celery and potatoes in olive oil 15 minutes until potatoes are almost soft. set aside.
• 3 puree almonds and soymilk in a blender until smooth. add sautéed vegetables, almond milk, salt, cayenne and black pepper to cooked beans and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• 4 while beans simmer, bring 4 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan. stir in couscous, 1 teaspoon olive oil and salt. cover saucepan, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. fluff with a fork before serving.