Grilled Veggies with Couscous, Feta & Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

This was one of the side dishes I made for our Labor Day weekend cookout. I knew I wanted some kind of grilled veggies with our meal and finally found this recipe on my Whole Foods app that I decided to try. I had a box of Isaraeli Pearl couscous in my pantry that worked perfectly and the orange-balsamic vinaigrette dressed this dish up just enough without being too overpowering ( I may actually add more next time to give it just a bit more flavor). You could easily substitute quinoa or white or brown rice and use whatever veggies you have on hand.  This recipe served 5 people and we had some leftovers.

 

Ingredients

6-7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2  tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large red onion, thickly sliced
1 large yellow squash, chopped (can also slice into rounds if desired)
1 large zucchini, chopped (can also slice into rounds if desired)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup + 2 or 3 Tbsp orange juice
2 1/2  teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups uncooked couscous
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions
1.Combine 4 Tbsp of the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add onions, squash, zucchini and peppers and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.

2.Preheat grill. Arrange marinated vegetables in a single layer on the grill and cook, flipping once, until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

3.Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add orange juice and reduce liquid by half, 6 to 8 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and set vinaigrette aside.

4.Cook couscous according to package directions (should take about 15 mins or less to cook)

5.Arrange couscous in the middle of a large platter. Top with grilled vegetables and drizzle with warm vinaigrette. Garnish with feta cheese and parsley and serve.



Recipe source: adapted from Whole Foods