Cous Cous with Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Sesame Ginger Dressing

I like to think of this Cous Cous with Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Sesame Ginger dish as a very lucky result of acquiring a random assortment of co-op veggies and Asian flavors from my dish last week...and, of course, goat cheese.  It's a power play of nutrients:  beets, sweet potatoes, red and green peppers, red onion, yellow squash and zucchini over cous cous that is sure to replenish and reenergize.

The dressing is spot-on.  It adds a certain sweetness to the dish and is easily complimented by goat cheese crumbles.  All in all, this dish is a quick, fresh meal that is sure to please for days to come.

Cous Cous with Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Sesame Ginger Dressing


For the vegetables & cous cous
3 medium yellow beets (or the color of your choice), chopped into small squares
1 sweet potato, chopped into small squares
1/2 zucchini, sliced and quartered
1/2 yellow squash, sliced and quartered
1/2 red pepper, chopped into small squares
1/2 green pepper, chopped into small squares
1/2 red onion, chopped into small squares
3 tbsp olive oil, split into 3 separate servings
salt and pepper to taste
1 box Near East cous cous

For the lemon sesame ginger dressing
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 agave nectar (or maple syrup if that's all you have on hand)
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 tbsp ground ginger
Handful sesame seed (very technical)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat over to 400 degrees.  Toss sweet beets and sweet potatoes in 1 tbsp olive oil with salt and pepper in an oven-safe dish.  Roast uncovered in oven for 20 minutes, tossing mid way through.

Toss zucchini and squash in 1 tbsp olive oil with salt and pepper in an oven-safe dish.  Roast uncovered in oven for 10 minutes (placing in oven when the beets/sweet potatoes are halfway done).  Perform the same process with the red pepper, green pepper, and red onion.  Remove all dishes from the oven when roasted but not burned.

Cook the cous cous according to the directions on the package.  Wisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.

Toss the cous cous with the roasted vegetables and 3/4 cup of the lemon sesame ginger dressing.  Top with goat cheese and serve warm.