The vegetables are taking over the deserts of North Africa and Arabia. They have been spotted emerging from the great sand dunes of the desert and have now stormed the couscous. Your mission is to help the kids find them, eat them to defeat them and raise loud the victory cry…
Bring it on veggies!
Tea-time adventures make meals fun, turning eating into a game. It’s not just about the recipe—it’s about getting kids excited to eat their food. Couscous Clash is just couscous with plenty of vegetables. You can serve couscous with so many dishes. We have suggested a Moroccan-style “tagine” stew, but you can do it any way you wish. The key is using chunky vegetables. Avoid hiding or finely chopping the veg—presenting it in larger pieces gives your child control, allowing them to decide when or if they want to eat it. This sense of control encourages them to give it a try.
Join the “Eat Them to Defeat Them” challenge and watch the video together. Get the kids pumped up with the rally cry, “Bring it on veggies!” as you prep the meal. Keep it fun and light-hearted—ask the kids if they want to help Chef Andrew to “defeat” the veggies without pressure, maybe throwing in fun phrases like “you’re going down veggies” or “let’s defeat them!”.
After the meal, praise, praise, praise – celebrate every win, big or small, like a sniff, a lick or a nibble, and try to steer away from talking about health or nutrition. Praise their efforts with a “Well done, we defeated the veggies!” and add a sticker to their Eat Them To Defeat Them wall chart (you can download one here). Ask if they’d like to try another challenge, and keep the veggie fun going!
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 red onion, diced
100g chicken (skinless, boneless thigh or breast), chopped into bite size pieces (or veggie alternative)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
1 red pepper, diced
1 courgette, diced
100g butternut squash (optional – frozen pre-chopped is fine)
1 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
50g peas (frozen is fine)
50g sweetcorn (frozen is fine)
For the couscous:
1 mug of couscous
1 1/2 mugs boiling water
30g butter or plant-based alternative, diced
Handful of chives or fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Veg Portions / Serving: 2.5
The vegetables are taking over the deserts of North Africa and Arabia.
They have been spotted emerging from the great sand dunes of the desert and have now stormed the couscous.
Your mission is to find them, eat them to defeat them and raise loud the victory cry…
BRING IT ON VEGGIES!
Find out more about the Eat Them to Defeat Them campaign at eatthemtodefeatthem.com
Method:
Here’s our recommended recipe, or you can simply adapt your own recipe – just keep the veg chunky and serve with a reminder to the children to Eat Them to Defeat Them and get them to say “Bring it on veggies!”
Heat the oil in a large frying pan set over low-medium heat. Add the red onion and cook gently, stirring often until it starts to soften (usually about 5 mins).
Add the chicken and cook until it starts to colour and is cooked through, about 5 mins. (If using veggie alternative, check how long it will take to cook – most can be added with the veg later on as they cook in just a few mins).
Add the red pepper, courgette, butternut squash if using, and chickpeas. Continue to cook about 10 mins, until the vegetables begin to colour and soften, add the spices and cook for another minute, then finally add the chopped tomatoes, peas and sweetcorn (and veggie alternative, if using) and cook through for another 5-10 mins until everything is cooked and softened.
In a separate bowl, add the couscous and boiling water, then quickly cover with a lid, cling film or upturned plate. Allow to sit and steam for 5-10 mins, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is fluffy. Add the diced butter to the top of the couscous and stir through with a fork, fluffing the couscous as you go, then taste and add a little salt and pepper if you feel it needs it. Stir the couscous through the veg, or serve alongside the veg-packed tagine. Add the chopped herbs, if using, and serve immediately.
Older or more confident kids can help you with the chopping, but let younger ones help with weighing and measuring ingredients and adding them to the pan carefully with your supervision. Show them how to stir safely over heat, and let them chop the butter with a child’s (not sharp) knife, and let them fluff the couscous. For more tips on cooking with kids check out Kids in the Kitchen.
