Roasted Vegetable Couscous

 Roasted Vegetable Couscous

If you are budgeting and need a high-quality, healthy meal that doesn't require a lot of prep work, then this dish is perfect!  But the best thing about this dish is the fact that you can make it with just one pan and a pot to cook the couscous.  So, with fewer dishes, there is minimal clean up and that is perfect for busy weeknights.  Another great thing about this dish is that if you have your own garden and are growing Roma tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers, then you pretty much have minimal things to buy.  In the US, I am not sure how easy it is to make your own couscous, but I usually buy a big container of couscous at the grocery store or Whole Foods and it usually lasts a while.  Buying couscous in bulk cuts down on the cost and you have extra couscous for many weeknight meals.  Couscous is so versatile!  There are many ways you can use couscous and it helps to fill you up.  Couscous is also packed with nutrients and has more selenium per serving than white rice.  Aside from being rich in selenium, couscous may help lower your cancer risk, boost your immune system, is a good source of plant-based protein, and is easy to prepare. At the most, this dish will cost you $7.82 and will yield about 8 servings which is great if you have a family of 5 and people want multiple servings.  I usually always have leftovers for the next day.  The wonderful thing about this dish is how well the flavors meld together for the perfect taste.   

One thing I like to stress when making this dish is to chop all the vegetables into bite-size amounts, not too small.  Ensure the vegetables are at least 1-2 inches in length and remember that you want to watch the vegetables as they are roasting in the oven.  You want to ensure that they don't burn.  You want the vegetables to be a little crisp but you don't want to burn them.  Then, once you have chopped your veggies, place them in a bowl and generously add olive oil.  Then, add salt and pepper to taste.  You don't want to overdo the salt and if you have high blood pressure, just use pepper. 

So, lets get started!  Gather all your ingredients...

The ingredients are very simple and basic.  If you had a small garden, you can grow most of these veggies at home.  Zucchini, Roma tomatoes, red onion and bell pepper with parsley for garnish.  After gathering the veggies, rinse and dry them and arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Make sure the veggies are not piled on top of each other but rather just next to each other.

Make sure to generously coat with olive oil and pepper.  Salt is optional.  I omitted the salt in my last dish and it still tasted amazing.  The flavor of the vegetables is the star of the show here.

Place your tray of veggies in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  I chose 40 minutes so they would not be too charred.  Keep an eye on your veggies while they are baking.  Once they are done, cook the couscous according to package directions.

 Then once the veggies are done baking, you can arrange everything on a beautiful ceramic bowl or dish.  Plate the couscous first and then gingerly add the veggies!  Sprinkle with a bit of parsley and you are done!

This dish is both delicious, healthy and cost-efficient so I know you will just enjoy it time and again.  I'm sure you can mix up the veggies a bit but the onions and garlic really give it the flavor, especially if you leave out the salt.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 zucchini, chopped

1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped

1 red onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, whole

4 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups couscous

3 cups water

1/4 bunch parsley, chopped

Instructions:

1. Cook couscous according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash and chop the tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion into 1-2 inch pieces.  Peel four cloves of garlic.
3. Toss the chopped vegetables and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread vegetables out on a thin layer in a baking sheet.
4. Place the vegetables in the oven and roast at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, stirring twice, until they are wilted and brown on the edges.
5. Plate the finished couscous on a large dish and top with the roasted vegetables.  Incorporate the roasted garlic into the couscous with a fork.
6. Top with chopped parsley and serve.  

This dish is so easy and so delicious, you will wonder why you never did this before!  Enjoy!