I made this for a cast party tonight: couscous is just about my favourite thing to eat. (Next, of course, to sushi!) however, I overestimated the appreciation folks around here would have for off-normal food in general, and vegetarian food specifically (not that I'm vegetarian, but I love vegetarian food!), as only three people that I know of actually tried any (though two of those — coincidentally enough, Californians — were very nearly ecstatic that someone had made couscous; which makes it more than worth it).

So now I have a pot of couscous to feed me for the next few days: I'm finding it difficult to be disappointed!

• 2 cu water
• 1/2 cu apple sauce
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 cu kale, cut small and packed
• 3 tbsp parsley
• 1/2 cu kefir
• 2 cu couscous
• olive oil
• salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste

1. Bring water to boil.
2. Add apple sauce, carrot, onion, kale, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper to water.
3. Simmer until carrots and onions are soft, then remove from heat.
4. Add kefir to broth. It will coagulate finely when it mixes with the hot broth. (Kefir may be replaced by 1:2 water:sour cream.)
5. Slowly stir in couscous, and allow to sit covered until all broth has been taken up by the pasta.
6. Toss couscous with a liberal amount of olive oil.

• May be served topped with sauteed kale. Kale blanched with a splash of balsamic vinegar and sauteed in olive oil goes nicely with this.
• This ought to serve six people.