A Taste of Autumn

Two weeks ago I had a craving for butternut squash.  Weird, right?  Generally, I am not a huge fan of squash, but on this particular day, it got the best of me.  I decided to try a recipe out of Alicia Silverstone's Kind Diet cookbook.  I LOVE this book by the way, tons of amazing, flavorful vegan recipes to suit any taste.  This recipe was great and it really felt like a taste of autumn.

Moroccan Couscous with Saffron

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes (you can also buy it already cut up if you're feeling super lazy)
2 cups yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 cups zucchini, cut into 3/4" cubes
2 Tbs. olive oil
Sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbs. Earth Balance butter
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. saffron threads
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place squash, onions, carrots and zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with one Tbs. olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. black pepper.  Roast for 20 - 30 minutes, turning once about midway through.

While the veggies roast, bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, remaining pepper, cumin, saffron and salt to taste.  Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes.

Scrape the roasted veggies and their juices into a large bowl and add the couscous.  Bring the vegetable broth back to a boil and pour over couscous mixture all at once.  Cover tightly with a plate and allow to stand for 15 minutes.  Add the scallions, toss the couscous and veggies with a fork and serve.  Makes about 6 servings.

Note:  When I made it, I felt like it needed a bit more than 1 1/2 cups of broth, I thought the couscous was still a little dry.  I would suggest having a bit more hot broth on hand to add just in case.

This is what it looks like when it's done:

Yum!

Peace and love.