Reprinted from Start Fresh: Your Child’s Jumpstart to Lifelong Healthy Eating by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

“This is one of the simplest dishes in the book. Pearled couscous, also called Israeli couscous, can be found in most grocery stories. It’s easy to make and can be used as a base for lots of on-the-fly salads.”

Photo by John Lee

INGREDIENTS 1 box (4.7 ounces) pearled or Israeli couscous 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, cut into thin wedges 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese DIRECTIONS In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil over medium heat. Add the couscous, stir, reduce the heat, and cook uncovered until all the liquid has been absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until most of the fat has been rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the Brussels sprouts have softened, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Fold in the chickpeas and couscous and stir to combine. Divide into adult and child-friendly portions. Pulse the kid portions in the food processor or fork-mash to the appropriate texture. Serve warm sprinkled with the Parmesan cheese. Makes 2 adult servings or 4 kid servings