Heather's Roasted Vegetable Couscous
with Chickpeas and Onion-Pine Nut Topping
Adapted from Cooking Light

                                                                                                   Randy Mayor

Ingredients

• Couscous:
• 5  cups  diced peeled sweet potato or yams (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 2  cups  (1/2-inch) diced peeled parsnips (about 10 ounces)
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 2  teaspoon Ras el Hanout* (see below) 
• 3  carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces (about 9 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/4  cups  organic vegetable broth (can cut with water)
• 1  cup  uncooked couscous
• 1  (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• Topping:
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, separated into rings
• 1/3  cup  walnuts or pine nuts
• 1/3  cup  raisins (regular or golden)
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon  honey

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. To prepare couscous, combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place potato mixture on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork; gently stir in chickpeas. Keep warm.

4. To prepare topping, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 12 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add pine nuts and raisins; cook 2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon; cook 30 seconds. Stir in honey, and remove from heat.

5. Mound couscous in the middle of a serving platter. Place the roasted vegetables around base of couscous. Arrange 5 carrots vertically around couscous; spoon topping over top of couscous.

*Ras el Hanout (Note: this makes a much larger batch than the recipe calls for, so you'll have leftovers)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 2  teaspoons  ground ginger
• 2  teaspoons  freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1  teaspoon  ground allspice
• 1  teaspoon  saffron threads, crushed
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cloves
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground nutmeg 

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Heather Somerville is a freelance journalist in Washington, DC.  Her culinary side includes specialties in Mediterranean cuisine and homemade eggnog.