5:2 Diet
Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous -Tabbouleh with Halloumi
(56 calories)
It’s been a while since I shared a new 5:2 diet recipe, but I hope I’ve made up for my tardiness with the recipe I’m sharing today, a recipe that I have been making for about 5 or 6 years, from my “Pig to Twig” diet days. (The Pig to Twig diet is basically a low-carb diet where cauliflower is used in place of potatoes in many of the recipes on the diet) I LOVE couscous and tabbouleh, it’s such a great vehicle for spices, herbs, aromatic broths, sauces, grilled meats, tagines, grilled fish and cheese, but due to its hefty colorie count, it’s off limit for diet days – so enter a lower calorie alternative, cauliflower couscous or tabbouleh.
Today’s recipe couldn’t be easier and it’s a VERY low 56 calories per portion or 176 calories per portion with the Halloumi cheese. If you have a food processor and a microwave, then this can be on the table in about 20 minutes, and, although it’s very tasty when eaten warm, it also makes a flavourful cold salad for the office lunch box too. If you don’t have or cook in a microwave, then just pop it all in a covered pan and simmer it on top of the stove……it cooks in under 15 minutes as the cauliflower grains are so small.
As well as cauliflower, which is the main ingredient, this recipe also has carrot, onion, garlic, tomatoes and rocket leaves in it, giving you a FABULOUS three of your five-a-day in one serving! Adding the Halloumi cheese adds essential protein and still makes it a low-calorie and yet very filling meal for a 5:2 diet fast day. I served this to my husband who was extremely sceptical when he’d heard what I was making, and he loved it so much that he has requested that I make it again, which is praise indeed, as he is very picky.
So, why pick cauliflower over couscous or tabbouleh? Well, apart from the obvious five-a-day benefits, it’s all about calories, as I mentioned above and as my list shows below:
160g cooked couscous = 180 calories
160g cooked tabbouleh = 190 calories
160g cooked cauliflower = 38 calories
A big bowl of this with Halloumi cheese is only 176 calories, which will still leave you with 324 calories (for women or 424 calories for men) for the rest of the day, so you could indulge in one of the following meals:
Spinach, Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry (244 Calories)
Moroccan Harissa and Chickpea Potage (145 Calories)
Salmon and Spring Onion Gratins (250 Calories)
Garlic, Herb and Parmesan Crusted Chicken Schnitzels (264 Calories)
Pepper Steak with Pan-fried Onions, Tomatoes and Spinach (296 Calories)
Easy Baked Bacon and Mushroom Risotto (380 Calories for the blokes!)
Smoked Haddock and Spinach Gratin (200 calories)
Wild Garlic and Chilli Sweetcorn Fritters (185 Calories)
Minced Beef and Mint Kheema Keema (255 Calories)
Easy Cheesy Family Fish Pie Recipe for the 5:2 Diet (300 calories)
And my other CAULIFLOWER recipes for the 5:2 Diet are:
Low-Calorie Cauliflower Crust Pizza: Gluten Free, Paleo and 5:2 Diet Pizza Recipe
Cauliflower – The Dieter’s Friend! Faux Mashed Potatoes – Cauliflower Mash Recipe
I hope you manage to try my latest recipe for Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous – Tabbouleh with Halloumi; it’s a great way to save on diet day calories and yet makes a filling and very tasty meal. Make a batch at the beginning of the week and you will also have a week’s worth of lunch box meals, as the cauliflower couscous/tabbouleh lasts for up to 4 or 5 days in the fridge. Do let me know if you make it and if you enjoyed it, Karen
As this uses DRIED MINT, I am entering this recipe into Cooking with Herbs for February.
Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous – Tabbouleh
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 portions |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Dietary | Gluten Free, Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Starter |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Casual Party |
| Region | Moroccan |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 1 x small cauliflower, between 250g and 275g (65 calories)
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced, about 110g (45 calories)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced (20 calories)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated, about 60g (25 calories)
- 2 teaspoons Harissa spice blend (I used Bart's Harissa powder, made up of: salt, cumin, chilli, coriander, garlic, mint, caraway and cinnamon. 12 calories)
- 1 tablespoon dried mint (5 calories)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (8 calories)
- 300mls vegetable stock, I used Marigold Swiss Bouillon (25 calories)
- 100g cherry tomatoes, cut in half (20 calories)
- handful of rocket leaves
Optional
- Light Halloumi cheese, cubed (120 calories in 1 x 50g serving)
Note
A fabulous GF and Carb free dish of "Cauliflower" couscous/tabbouleh, flavoured with Moroccan spices, mint and served with cherry tomatoes and rocket leaves for a low calorie meal - perfect for any 5:2 diet fast day or anyone following Weight Watchers. Each portion is ONLY 56 calories or 176 calories WITH the Halloumi cheese.
Directions
| Step 1 | Trim the cauliflower and cut into small florets. Discard any tough core or stem. Place the florets into a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is similar to couscous or tabbouleh as in fine grains. |
| Step 2 | Fry the onion and garlic in a little of the stock with a lid on the pan until it is soft and has taken in some colour. |
| Step 3 | Place the cauliflower couscous/tabbouleh into a large heatproof bowl that has a lid and add the cooked onions and garlic as well as the grated carrot and Harissa spice blend. Mix well. |
| Step 4 | Add the dried mint and turmeric and mix well before pouring in the vegetable stock. Mix well and microwave for 5 to 8 minutes on high with the lid on. Alternatively, simmer in a covered pan over a low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. |
| Step 5 | Check the cauliflower is cooked, it should still have a bite; spoon it into a serving bowl and add the halved cherry tomatoes and rocket to serve. One portion this was as an accompaniment of salad lunch is 56 calories. |
| Step 6 | If using the Halloumi cheese, add the cubes to a hot pan and fry over a high heat until the cheese has taken on a golden brown colour. Add the the couscous/tabbouleh and serve with the cherry tomatoes and rocket leaves as above. One portion is 176 calories when served with 50g of cheese. |
| Step 7 | The whole recipe = 225 calories with no cheese and makes 4 generous portions. |
Anita-Clare Field says
Oh boy, this really taps into my taste buds. I adore cauliflower, its my favourite vegetable and as for the rest of the ingredients, well I can almost smell this fabulous looking dish. I have a jar of homemade Harissa in the fridge. I think I know what i am going to do with it. Delicious !
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Anita-Clare, I hope you enjoy this as much as we did if you manage to make it, Karen
Dominic says
ahhh, the good old cauliflower… I do love how wonderfully versatile it is… this looks like a gorgeous dish and I adore halloumi so this works for me!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom, it is fabulous when served with halloumi I cheese, which I also love!
Janice says
I am so going to make this Karen. I’m not that keen on the idea of using cauliflower for everything, but I can see how it would work really well for this dish. Adding it to my 5:2 list!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Janice, this is amazingly just like real couscous or tabbouleh…..and is very easy to make too.
Luca says
What an amazing idea! Thinking of making this and serving it without saying anything. I wonder if anyone will notice?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Luca! I bet nobody would notice if you served this couscous/tabbouleh this way, as even my husband liked it and he is a cauliflower hater! It’s so easy to make and was extremely tasty when served with the fried halloumi cheese. Karen
Luca says
I’ve just whizzed up a batch of ‘couscous’ grains (cauliflower + turmeric): very convincing. I am going to cook it tonight in my couscoussiere and see how it goes. Will report back.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Great plan Luca, let me know how it goes and as I have a couscoussiere too, I am fascinated to see how it works in that sort of cooking pan! Karen
Luca says
I’m going to try mixing through a little oil and then just steaming for 10-15 mins. I will cook the veg separately and then stir through at the end. We’ll see but I’ll definitely keep you posted.
Karen Burns-Booth says
That sounds about right Luca, and I’m waiting to see your report!
Luca says
What an excellent low calorie substitute for couscous and a great way to eat more cauliflower! I prepared the cauliflower as you said, in the mixer, and then added a little salt and the turmeric. The mixture looked just like couscous but was almost soft enough to eat there and then. Next, I put the ‘couscous’ in my couscoussière and steamed it over boiling water for 15 minutes while I cooked the other vegetables. The result was PERFECT. I didn’t reveal what it was until it had all been eaten and nobody was able to tell. They just thought it was well-cooked, fluffy couscous. Thank you so much for sharing this excellent recipe. I will be cooking this often.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much for the update Luca and the method for cooking in a couscoussiere, which I have at home in France! I am REALLY pleased that you loved this recipe, Karen
Suzy @ The Mediterranean Dish says
Now this is a recipe after my own heart, Karen! Gorgeous couscous dish.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Suzy! We love this in our house and it is on the menu for later on in the week! Karen
Loz says
Great! I’ve been looking for inspiration for a 50 cal lunch box for my 5:2 fast days.got my ingredients although only have Harissa paste at the mo which adds a few cals. But will track some down for next time. s it freezer friendly?
Karen Burns-Booth says
This should be freezer friendly as you can freeze cauliflower, so yes, it can be frozen. So pleased you like the recipe and let me know how it tastes with the Harissa paste! Karen
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I am huge fan of cauliflower couscous and I bet this tastes fab with the harrisa spice blend.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Bintu – I cook with cauliflower all the time for fast day meals!
Choclette says
Who would have thought you could have halloumi on a diet day. This recipe has me raring to go Karen, it sounds delicious AND I still haven’t got around to trying cauliflower ‘rice’ or ‘couscous’. This seems like a very good one to start with.
Karen Burns-Booth says
This is more like tabbouleh in texture Choclette, and has less calories than rice, tabbouleh or couscous, so it an absolute boon for a veggie fast day!
Louisa Foti says
I am ever so late to the party on cauliflower rice, couscous or tabbouleh BUT I’ve so been intending to try it out for a long time! Next time one appears in my veg box it shall be made, and your recipe looks simply perfect Karen. Packed full of lots of good stuff and high in the flavour stakes! LOVE Halloumi too, and don’t buy or use it nearly enough.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That looks wonderful Karen I call it cauliflower rice, but actually you are right, it looks more like couscous. I haven’t make it for ages, I must try it again soon. Love the flavours you added too. Spot on for me.
Dani says
I’ve have just made this recipe, and it tastes absolutely lovely. Even my husband likes it and he’s a big meat eater. Nice as a veggie meal or as a side dish (without the halloumi cheese) with some lamb. I am certainly going to be eating this on my healthy eating days!! Thanks Karen for suggesting it.
Karen Burns-Booth says
That’s BRILLIANT! Thanks for letting me know Dani, and I we also love it so much, husband included, that I’ve made another batch for the week ahead! Karen
Dani says
I’ve just eaten the leftovers cold and that tastes good too. I too am making a big batch, today I will try cooking it without the lid in the aga, as yesterday’s had a little juice remaining, which was nice, but I’d like to see if I can get it a little drier. Thanks again Karen for this recipe, nice to have a meal that is tasty as well as being low in calories!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Great news, and yes, try cooking it without the lid on the pan, or, add less liquid maybe? Karen
Sophia says
Oh this looks like another winner!! I can’t wait to make this, I love using cauliflower instead of other grains. Your recipes, especially the 5:2 ones are incredible, have you thought of doing a book? Please don’t stop sharing more and more I love them.’y boyfriend and I made the sweet potato spinach curry and then butterbean chorizo stew recently and loved them both! So thank you 🙂 x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Sophia, and yes, there is a book in the pipeline! 😉 I am so pleased you liked this recipe as much as we do, and the butter bean and chorizo stew is another favourite of ours too! Karen
Rosana, Hot&Chilli Food and Travel Blog says
Hey Karen, I was having a look at your recipes 5:2, gosh! lots of calories saved on this one by simply replacing ingredients, it’s amazing. You are very clever! Hope you are well. Rosana
sylvie says
It seems to be easy to go on a slimming diet with such recipes. I’ve put on some kilos since the end of 2014 and this recipe will be a great help for me as soon as I’m decided!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I seemed to have put on lots of weight since the end of 2014 too, so I am trying to create lots of interesting and tasty recipes to make the diet days seem normal. Karen
sidgirl says
Made this a couple of nights ago and it was super – the leftovers are on the lunch menu today. My husband isn’t doing the 5:2 and he loved it too – and didn’t reach for bread afterwards, as he tends to do when I’m making the low cal stuff. Not sure I could do it without the halloumi… Great blog too btw
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much for your wonderful comments Sidgirl and I am so pleased that you BOTH enjoyed this!
I am a BIG halloumi lover too! 🙂
Karen
Haf says
Honestly, this is the BEST website for 5:2 diet, well for just overall healthy eating !!
I come from an Indian background and am used to the spice and the general “wild” flavours of Indian cooking so finding below 500 calorie recipes which were flavourful and incorporated “exotic” additions was difficult !
Not now that I’ve found your site!
Thank you!!
Karen Burns-Booth says
THANKS so much Haf! I have some more recipes coming soon too! I am so pleased you like what I do! Karen
Nicole Rossetti says
I love this recipe – thank you for sharing it!
I’ve just blogged my slightly tweaked version (with full credit going to you, of course, Karen, and a link back to here).
I’ll definitely be checking out more of your 5:2 recipes!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much fr letting me know Nicole! Will pop over there later to look! Karen
eleanor warner says
This one – and it’s the first of yours, really didn’t work for me. I did leave the cheese out as I have to avoid cow dairy but I found it rather bitter and usually I can work with Cauliflower just fine so back to some of my other favs of yours for the 5:2 !!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I have to say that it is the cheese that makes this dish!
Chloe says
Delicious!! I made this for the first time on Monday and was so impressed that I made it again for lunch today! I don’t have a food processor so I just grate the cauliflower. Love all of the flavours packed into this healthy dish. I definitely recommend this and I know I’ll be having it again soon!
Karen Burns-Booth says
THANKS so much for letting me know Chloe, I am very pleased it was a big hit! Karen
Nicole says
LOVED this dish Karen,it was easy to make, thank you for sharing, we just had it for lunch, will be making it again for sure. Best Wishes, Nicole
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks for letting me know Nicole and I am so pleased it was enjoyed by you all too! Karen