Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables

🛒 Ingredients:

• 🍚 1 cup couscous
• 💧 1¼ cups boiling vegetable broth
• 🍆 1 small eggplant, diced
• 🫑 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 🧅 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 🥒 ½ cucumber, diced
• 🍅 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 🧄 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 🫒 2 tbsp olive oil
• 🧂 Salt and pepper, to taste
• 🍋 Juice of 1 lemon
• 🌿 ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 🧀 Feta cheese crumbles (optional)
• 🫒 Kalamata olives, pitted (optional)

🍽️ Instructions:

1. 🔥 Roast the vegetables: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss eggplant, bell pepper, and red onion with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes until caramelized.
2. 🍚 Prepare couscous: In a bowl, combine couscous and hot broth. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. 🥗 Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine couscous, roasted vegetables, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, and parsley.
4. 🧀🫒 Top with feta and olives if using. Serve warm or chilled.