Warm Fall Pearl Couscous Salad

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!