Warm Fall Pearl Couscous Salad

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Chop up butternut squash, cauliflower and brussel sprouts into small, bite-sized pieces. Lay these on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine so the veggies are evenly coated.

Step 2

Slice a lemon in half and add the halves to the baking sheet as well. Drizzle each lemon half with a touch of olive oil. Throw into the oven for about 30 minutes (or until golden), stirring halfway through.

Step 3

Meanwhile, boil water in a pot and cook the pearl couscous according to package instructions. I like leaving mine a bit al dente to give more structure to the salad! Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Place in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and stir so the pearl couscous doesn’t stick together. Set to the side.

Step 4

Once the vegetables are roasted, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Once the lemons have slightly cooled, squeeze the roasted lemon juice into a separate container to start the vinaigrette.

Step 5

Add red wine vinegar, whole grain mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix to combine.

Step 6

Chop up herbs (I like using fresh herbs here - dill, chives, Italian parsley, basil).

Step 7

Assemble! Start by laying your cooked pearl couscous down and then add the roasted vegetables. Add a big handful of arugula or spinach, the pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta, the chopped fresh herbs and then drizzle the roasted lemon vinaigrette on top. Stir to combine and enjoy!