Lemony Shrimp with White Beans and Couscous

The first time I had couscous was at my grandmother's house. I remember I got such a kick out of the name. She told me we were having couscous for dinner and we went back and forth for about five minutes saying, "Couscous! Couscous!" The faster we said the word, the funnier it sounded. Because of this memory, I bought a box of couscous a while back and finally found a good recipe to use it for. Couscous is a lower-calorie carb option which means you can eat a lot and not feel super-full. Also, this dish uses lemon and garlic for its flavoring, a savory-fresh delight that makes my tummy happy.

*Recipe from Real Simple

INGREDIENTS:

1 10-ounce box of couscous (1 1/2 cups)

kosher salt and black pepper

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 15.5-oz can canellini beans, rinsed

1/2 cup fresh parsley

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the couscous and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and let sit off heat for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork before serving.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and scallions and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to turn pink, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the beans, parsley, lemon juice, the remaining butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the couscous.

Bon Appétit!