Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large fennel bulb (about 1 pound), stalks discarded, cored, and thinly sliced
1 yellow or Vidalia onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
½ cup pine nuts
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup Israeli couscous
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Juice of 2 lemons

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the almond milk and broth to a simmer over medium heat on a back burner.

Meanwhile, on a front burner, heat the oil in another medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onion, garlic, pine nuts, and coconut. Cook about 2 minutes, then add the couscous and cook, stirring vigorously, until toasted and golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and transfer the couscous mixture to a large bowl.

Pour the hot almond milk-broth mixture over the couscous in the bowl. Stir in the scallions and fluff the couscous with a fork. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the couscous steam until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the couscous with the lemon juice. If the couscous turns out too al dente for your taste, return it to the saucepan, add ½ cup water, and cook on medium-high heat until it reaches the desired texture.

PER SERVING: 459 calories, 11 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 16 g total fat (2 g saturated), 0 mg (cholesterol), 5 g fiber, 174 mg sodium.

75 total recipes (including this one) and Sam’s life story can all be found in his new book, The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries, available here at Amazon.com or at any Barnes & Noble retail location!