Ingredients
1 bunch of carrots
1 golden beet
1 ruby beet
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Sea salt, black pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil (or olive oil)
1 small red onion, minced
1 1/3 cup chickpeas
4 ounces crumbly goat cheese
2 teaspoons za’atar
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Directions
Heat the oven to 425F.
Peel the carrots and the beets. Chop them into bite sized pieces. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Toss the beets and carrot pieces with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and generously with sea salt and black pepper. Put the vegetables on the baking sheet, arranging them so they aren’t too crowded. Place the baking sheet to the oven: roast for about 30 minutes.
In a small pot, bring the chicken or vegetable stock to a simmer.
Meanwhile, mince the garlic. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat; when the oil is warm, add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragment, and then add the couscous. Toast the couscous for about 1 minute, and then add the hot stock. Put the lid on the pot, and set the timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid: there should only be a little liquid left in the pot. (If not, put the lid back on, and continue cooking for up to 5 minutes.) Then, cook for another 1-2 minutes with the lid off, until the liquid is largely dissolved. Take the pot off the heat. You can add a tiny bit of olive oil now if you like: it will help prevent the couscous from sticking together.
Make the dressing: add the lemon juice and the Dijon mustard to a small bowl, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use a fork, or the back of a spoon, to mix. Pour in the oil, and whisk to emulsify.
Mince the red onion. Rinse the chickpeas. Crumble the goat cheese.
In a large salad bowl, mix everything together… the: beets, carrots, dressing, red onion, chickpeas, goat cheese, za’atar, and pumpkin seeds and the couscous; gently fold together. You can eat the salad warm, or at room temperature.
