Butternut squash, cranberry & chickpea couscous salad

Delight in a vibrant butternut squash and chickpea couscous salad with a burst of flavor from tart cranberries. Perfect for a tasty meal!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon medium butternut squash (or other hard winter squash), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 450g cup couscous (Israeli/pearl or regular)
• 1-1¼ cups water
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup can garbanzo beans–drained
• ½ cups dried cranberries
• 7 tablespoons white wine vinegar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• zest of one orange
• ½ teaspoons coriander
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1-3 teaspoons salt–to taste
• 1 bag of baby spinach
• 60g goat cheese
• ½ cups walnuts-coarsely chopped and toasted

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Coat the squash with a little olive oil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake the squash, stirring occasionally, until it is soft - around 30 minutes. Let it cool down before mixing it with other ingredients.
4. Cook the onion in a pan over medium-high heat until it becomes translucent. Set it aside to cool.
5. For regular couscous: Boil water in a saucepan. Add couscous, stir, then cover the pan with a lid. Let it sit for approximately 15 minutes until the couscous absorbs all the water. Fluff it with a fork and set it aside.
6. For Israeli/pearl couscous: Toast couscous in a dry saucepan, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add boiling water, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed, for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir, and set aside uncovered.
7. Combine vinegar, olive oil, zest, spices, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.
8. Mix squash, onions, chickpeas, and cranberries in a large bowl.
9. Pour the vinegar-oil dressing over the mixture and stir well. Taste it for seasoning and add salt if required.
10. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
11. In a separate large bowl, place the baby spinach.
12. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the spinach. Toss to ensure everything is coated.
13. Layer the spinach with couscous and the squash mixture on top.
14. Sprinkle toasted walnuts and goat cheese over everything.

Summary:

• Calories: 3406 kcal
• Fat: 115 g
• Protein: 100 g
• Carbs: 503 g
• Potassium: 3334 mg
• Magnesium: 614 mg