Autumn Couscous Salad
An autumn couscous salad is the perfect side dish for any holiday or family get together. This salad is sweet and tangy, and has all the flavours of fall in every spoonful. It has dried apricots and cranberries, pecans, and roasted butternut squash all spiked with a dijon mustard for a little warmth.
Equipment
- 1 Hand blender
- 1 Lined cookie sheet or baking dish
- 1 Strainer
Ingredients
Roasting:
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 6 sliced dried apricots
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup crushed pecans
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 juice from one lemon wedge
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Roasting:
- Preheat oven to 420 fahrenheit.
- Chop squash into equal cubes and remove skin. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in oven and cook for 30-35 mins or until fork tender and slightly golden.
Salad:
- Add kale, dried fruit, red onion and nuts to a bowl and set aside.
Couscous:
- In a large pan add olive oil over medium heat. Once the pan is heated add the couscous and toast. Be sure to continuously stir to avoid burning. Once slightly golden in colour, pour in water and add salt. Bring to a boil over high heat for 7-8 mins or until al dente (if your couscous comes with instructions please follow them).
- Remove from heat and strain. Rinse with cold water. Add to chopped veggies and set aside.
Dressing:
- With a hand blender add oil, dijon mustard, red onion, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whiz up until smooth, taste and adjust seasoning to liking.
- Pour over couscous and veggies. Once squash is ready, let cool for about 5 min then add to the salad and toss.
- Enjoy!