Why I love "combination" meals & my Super-Quick Couscous and Asparagus Combo!

Today I'm posting another one of my recipes that really isn't a recipe.  I sometimes feel like I'm almost admitting to the world that I have low-brow tastes by posting what I eat on here, but hey, this is me, take it or leave it :)

I've been eating this "combination" for almost 4 years now and I love it.  If I've said it once, I've said it a million times (BTW... what does that cliche even really mean literally?).  I am a volume eater.  I love to be able to have a big bowl of food in front of me and am comforted by that hand-to-mouth repetitive action.  It is why meals like my spaghetti squash and turkey sausage combination are such a favorite of mine.  I also am a fan of these "all in one" combination meals because they pack well.

Since I am cooking for myself, when I make something like the spaghetti squash meal or the meal I made tonight, before I eat, I split it right in half, putting the 2nd half right into a tupperware container to take to work for lunch the next day or save for dinner the next night.  When cooking for myself, I like combining my starch, protein, and veggie all in one because I get a heaping bowl of food and I don't have to worry about packing the leftovers separately.

This meal is a particular favorite of mine because it is FAST!  Today I did a few errands after work and by the time I walked in the door, I was starving.  I originally was planning on roasting some vegetables and a sweet potato for dinner, but I knew if I had to wait for that to cook, I would have ended up snacking on something in the mean time and I didn't want to do that.  So I went after my go to super fast, super quick meal, couscous and asparagus.

I promise, some day my photos will get better!

I'm not even going to write this out as a "recipe" because I feel that is giving myself far too much credit.  But what I do, is cook one bunch of asparagus from the grocery store by throwing it into a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. While I am doing that, I make a box of Near East Couscous Mix, which cooks in about 5 minutes (so quick!)  Pretty much every box requires 1 1/4 cups water and a tablespoon of olive oil.  They come with their own seasoning packs. 

After removing the asparagus from the water and patting it dry on my cutting board with a paper towel, I cut it into 1 inch pieces, fluff the couscous, and mix them both together.  [Cooking side note: if I am boiling asparagus to eat on its own, I will take it right from the boiling water and put it into a bowl of ice water.  The ice water stops the cooking and helps your asparagus to stay bright green.  I don't do that step with this recipe because I want it to stay warm since I will be immediately adding it to my dish.  I don't know if this is chef-approved, but it is just what I do!]

Technically, a box of Near East Couscous Mix makes 3 servings that are each 6 Weight Watchers PointsPlus points (for the whole box, including the oil used in cooking and the seasonings.)  Since I am eating the entire box in 2 meals and the asparagus is 0 Points, I consider this meal to be 9 Weight Watchers PointsPlus and I honestly love the dish and find it to be really easy and some-what addicting.  Like my turkey sausage obsession, you can swap flavors of Couscous and even vegetables if you want (I've done it with broccoli many times.)

I stock up on boxes of Near East Couscous whenever they are on sale and I love them.  My favorite flavors are "Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil" and "Parmesan."  With tonight's meal I tried a new one, "Wild Mushroom & Herb" -- and although it doesn't quite make the favorites list, it was so good!!  I also have a box of the Mediterranean Curry one that I am dying to try in a meal with perhaps some roasted mushrooms and onion.  Yum!!  (Side note: if you are considering trying any of these, I will say that the one I do not care for is "Broccoli & Cheese," I have never been unhappy with any other flavor.) 

Let me know if you try this meal and I hope you don't think less of me :)  What are your go-to meals when you come home from work starved and need something to eat FAST?  I would love to get some more tips!