Vegetable Couscous

What a beautiful day we had in Chicago! We decided to go for a run before dinner and this meal was so quick and easy to throw together afterward. I chopped the vegetables before we left and then just had to cook it all when we got home. This dish calls for a ton of vegetables, a whole rainbow of them! Doesn't it just make you feel healthy to see all that color in your dinner? I'd say this meal took about 30 minutes or so in all. This recipe made two healthy dinner portions and we had enough leftover for at least two days of lunches.

Vegetable Couscous (adapted from recipe found here)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 c sliced baby portabella mushrooms
4 c vegetable broth
1 t paprika
1/2 t ground cardamom
1/4 t salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 cups dry couscous
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pot over medium-low heat. Place onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and carrot in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red and yellow peppers and mushrooms; cook another 3 minutes. Vegetables should still be firm.

Pour in the vegetable stock and season with paprika, cardamom, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low. Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Pour in the couscous; stir. Cover pot immediately and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. The couscous should have absorbed about half the cooking liquid.

Garnish with the Parmesan and more cilantro.