Seed Your Soul
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This delicious recipe uses the best of my garden and was inspired by a recipe from The Café Sucre Farine in North Carolina. I love this salad, because with every bite, you can taste each vegetable’s freshness rather than a mush of flavors. The secret is in the roasting. Experiment and make it your own by adding other just-harvested vegetables, such as eggplant or winter squash.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 6-8 Serving(s)
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow squash
- 1 medium red onion or sweet yellow onion
- 1 red, orange, or yellow sweet bell pepper (or a mix of all 3!)
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 teaspoon honey (or agave)
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1½ cups pearl couscous (cook per package instructions in water or vegetable broth)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
- Zest of half a lemon (optional garnish)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line sheet pans with parchment paper or foil. (I use smaller sheet pans, so I can fit at least 3-4 in my oven at the same time.) Slice zucchini and squash in half, lengthwise, and into ½-inch slices that resemble half-moons. Peel onion and slice into quarters. Slice peppers into ½-inch pieces. Slice carrots into ½-inch rounds. Slice mushrooms in half.
Place whole cherry tomatoes on one pan, then drizzle and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. On a larger sheet pan, combine zucchini, squash, onion, and peppers. Drizzle and toss with 1 to 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Mix carrots with 1 teaspoon of honey (or agave) and place on another pan. Place sliced mushrooms on another pan, drizzle and toss with 1 to 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all pans before roasting.
Cooking
The secret to this dish is in the roasting. Roast tomatoes 5-6 minutes; roast zucchini, squash, onions and peppers for 8-10 minutes; roast carrots for 15-20 minutes; and roast mushrooms for 25-30 minutes. Do not let any of the vegetables overcook, or they may get mushy.
On a serving platter, place fresh spinach. As vegetables are ready, place on top of spinach. Add cooked couscous and toss gently to combine. Taste for seasoning. Optional: sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or zest of a lemon. Serve with crusty bread.
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