Warm Vegan Couscous Salad

Warm Vegan Couscous Salad

We all know that Sundays are for self-care, which includes doing nothing sometimes. My Sunday wasn’t very productive, because I’ve caught a cold... I hope it’s a cold, because the corona virus has everyone on edge and I don’t need that negativity in my life right now. Now that we are coming towards a new week and I am trying to scare off a cold, why not use up all the vitamin and mineral rich nutrients that are coming up to their use-by dates? As a result of that idea and my predicament, combined with the fact that I am feeling pretty lazy I thought I’d rustle up something as I go along. That is how this couscous salad was bornJ. This salad is great because its warm and tasty, but still pretty light. The different textures and flavours make it fun and satisfying. Why not give it a try?

Ingredients:

200g Baby Leaf Spinach

200g Tenderstem Broccoli

¼ Green Bell Pepper

¼ Red Bell Pepper

2 Spring Onions

100g Chestnut Mushrooms

3 Large Cloves of Garlic

2 Tbsp Plant Based Butter

2 Springs of Thyme

1 Medium Carrot

200g Couscous

1 Tsp Italian Seasoning

1 Tsp Red Pepper/Chilli Flakes

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes             Preparation Time: 15 Minutes             Serves: 3 – 4 People

Directions:

1. Cut all vegetables and prepare for cooking. Medium slice broccoli and mushrooms. Cut peppers and carrots into thin slices. Dice garlic and spring onions and keep them separately.
2. If you have a two tier steamer, melt 1 Tbsp butter in the sauce pan then sauté garlic, adding Italian seasoning and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste and leave stove on medium low heat. Add second tier to the saucepan and add broccoli with salt and pepper to taste. Leave to steam whilst preparing the rest of the meal.
3. In a large pot/wok add 1 Tbsp butter to pot on medium high heat. Add spring onions, pepper flakes, thyme and green bell pepper, sauté for 2 minutes then add chopped spinach. Cover and leave to steam on low heat.
4. Remove garlic mushrooms onto a side plate. Add couscous to the unwashed pot, add thyme and cook using the packet instructions. Continue steaming broccoli above the couscous for 2 minutes.
5. Turn off spinach, add broccoli and mix. Combine couscous and garlic mushrooms into the mixture. Then add sliced carrots and red bell peppers and combine further. Add extra salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and Enjoy!