Saffron Couscous & Spinach Stew

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• about 1 cup sliced leeks
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.5 cups chopped mushrooms
• splash of sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 14 oz. can tomatoes
• (up to) 14 oz. water
• a few generous pinches of saffron
• ½ - 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
• ½ cup cooked chickpeas, drained
• ½ cup uncooked Israeli couscous
• a few big handfuls of spinach
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium oven-proof pot, sauté leeks with salt and pepper. Once they're translucent, add garlic, mushrooms, and more salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are soft. Add a splash of sherry vinegar and stir.
3. Add tomatoes, saffron, smoked paprika, chickpeas and couscous. Fill your empty 14 oz. tomato can with water and add most of it to the pan. Stir, cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the stew is thick and the couscous is cooked. Remove from the oven and stir in the spinach until it's wilted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve.