Pesto Pearl Couscous Salad

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Hello my beauties!

Well, with my move back home to Australia, I have suddenly felt SO much inspiration to cook NEW recipes, so get excited guys because you’ll be getting a heap more delicious recipes coming to you via my blog, Instagram AND YouTube!

I am totally loving this salad recipe right now. It is really filling, full of flavour, and so easy to make. The addition of the spiced chickpeas on top gives it a big plant protein hit but you can also serve this along-side some veggie patties, tempeh strips or if your not vegan - eggs or meat.

I am really loving ‘meal prepping’ but not in a gym-meals kind of way. More so I am just loving making up big delicious and healthy salads or soups like this salad and storing it in the fridge for a couple of lunches throughout the week. This pesto pearl couscous salad is absolutely delicious and keeps really well for 2-3 days! I think its also really great to have these kinds of meals prepped in case you get hungry and feel like a snack - reach for a small serving of this salad instead and you’ll feel SO much more satisfied.

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Serves 4+

Ingredients:

pesto-

1 large bunch basil

20 g baby spinach

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

salad-

250g pearl couscous

400g pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 can chickpeas, drained

1/2 tsp each paprika and turmeric

pinch of sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper

1/2 red onion, finely sliced

50 g baby spinach, finely shredded

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tbsp hemp seeds

10 g snow pea tendrils

50g pinenuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced and line two baking trays.
Place the pumpkin on one tray and drizzle over half of the olive oil and salt, toss. Place in the oven to bake for 35 minutes or until golden and soft.
Place the chickpeas on the other baking tray, add the remaining olive oil, salt, turmeric and paprika, toss and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Cook pearl couscous on the stove as per packet instructions.
Add all pesto ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth, set aside.
Lightly toast the pine nuts by placing them in a pan over high heat, dry fry for approximately 2-3 minutes, tossing regularly.
Once the pumpkin is cooked, lightly smash pumpkin pieces with a fork.
In a large salad bowl, add the baby spinach, red onion, cooked couscous, baked pumpkin, and pesto, toss together.
Add the cranberries, hemp seeds, snow pea tendrils, pine nuts, a pinch of salt and pepper and toss again.
Pour over the crispy spiced chickpeas and serve into bowls or as a side with veggie patties.