Roasted Summer Vegetable Couscous Salad

Hello, Lake Nokomis! We have arrived! How was the move? Exhausting, it's still going on. I'm ready for it to be done. We've had some time to adjust now in our new home. I have had some time to adjust in our new kitchen. So far, I have not adapted as quickly as I had hoped. The lack of space and the missing dishwasher is somewhat challenging to manage, but I'm learning some tricks. For now, complicated recipes are going to be put on the back-burner more often than not unless I am dying to try it. But, aside from that. It is lovely and I am happy to be here.

We spent several days eating grocery store prepared food in the week leading up to the big move. After one day, it got old. I needed something fresh and yummy. This was perfect! Our kitchen was still in disarray but I didn't care. I simply could not eat another packaged or pre-purchased item again! My cutting board was sitting on top of a box as I was cutting the squash. The furniture delivery people were watching me stand on my tip-toes to try and cut. 

I received this recipe in a Clean Eating email and was impressed with the flavors. I would likely switch out the WW couscous for Israeli couscous the next time. It would be fine if you were serving as a side dish, but mine was a meal intended to last a few days. Couscous tends to go dry after a day, so it tasted like paste the next day. Israeli doesn't dry up as bad, so I think my couscous salad would have tasted better on day #2 if it had served as an ingredient.

Roasted Summer Vegetable Couscous Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 tsp sea salt 
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• Olive oil cooking spray 
• 1 medium zucchini, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups) 
• 1 yellow squash, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups) 
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup) 
• 1 8-oz pkg sliced fresh baby portobello mushrooms (1 cup) 
• 4 cups cooked whole-grain couscous 
• 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled 
• 4 sprigs fresh basil, chopped (2 tbsp) 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, Dijon, oil, salt, black pepper and garlic; set aside.
3. Mist a large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Arrange zucchini, squash, bell pepper and mushrooms in a single layer in pan (vegetables may touch or overlap slightly). Drizzle with vinegar mixture, tossing gently. Cook vegetables in oven for 15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine vegetables with couscous, tossing gently. Top with cheese and basil. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. Can be kept, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.