For me, one of the signs of a well-stocked pantry is a variety of grains. Some of my favorites that are always nested in there are cous cous, pearled cous cous, barley, white, brown and wild rice, amaranth, quinoa, various pastas, and farro. Having these grains in your pantry all the time allows you to get creative on the fly with a healthy side dish or simple main course idea.
Quick add-ins for cooked grains include, fruit, roasted vegetables, nuts, cheese, dried fruit…you get the idea. For this tasty side dish I added in cubes of roasted butternut squash, cubes of fresh apple, creamy Gorgonzola cheese and fresh parsley. A colorful and flavorful side dish that also easily makes a hearty vegetarian main course as well.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Pearled Cous Cous Salad with Roasted Squash, Apples, & Gorgonzola Crumbles
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat pearled cous cous
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup cubed butternut squash
- 1 large apple, diced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Directions:
- In a mediums saucepan, bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil. Add in the cous cous and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the cous cous is al dente. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
- In the meantime, roast the butternut squash cubes (drizzled with a touch of oil and seasoned with salt and pepper) in a preheated 375 degree oven, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Add into the bowl of cous cous along with the apple pieces, cheese, and parsley. Season to taste; serve with a drizzle of quality olive oil.
Tagged: apples, blue cheese, butternut squash, grains, Israeli cous cous, parsley, pearled cous cous, side dish
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