Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Couscous Salad

If you follow @southerninlaw on Instagram, read the meal plan in our weekly newsletter - or even follow us on Twitter or Facebook - you'd know I have a bit of a problem. 

That problem is an addiction...... to Freelicious' Gluten Free Couscous.

Before going gluten free, I'd never tried couscous - but when Freelicious came out with their Gluten Free Corn Couscous - I knew I had to try it. Since first trying it, I haven't been able to stop eating it. It's so good! 

To the point where I have to stop myself from eating it every. single. night. and I think it's okay to eat it four nights in a row, because duh I changed the pumpkin to roasted sweet potato so it's different. 

The other day I asked Jesse what I should have for dinner and he said "not couscous" because I'd had it so often - and I'm buying 6000 tonnes of feta cheese just because it tastes so good with it. Mum said the other week "Kristy, why is there 4 blocks of feta cheese in the fridge?" and that was because a) it was on sale b) I need to feed my addiction, literally.

I know what you're thinking - you saw raisins up there and you're thinking.. "Oh wow.. now she's really lost it".... Bear with me, you won't regret it. 

The chewy, sweet raisins give this couscous salad a whole new level of deliciousness. We had a dinner party on Saturday and my Dad saw me putting raisins in the couscous and said "Oh yuck Kristy... I don't think anyone really wants that except you" (because I am known for odd combinations) only to eat the couscous that night and say "you're pretty smart aren't you - you think outside the box and it works, I love the raisins"

But then again - I won't say anything if you leave them out other than WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING THEY TOTALLY MAKE THE DISH!

It's safe to say this Pumpkin and Feta Couscous Salad is perfect for entertaining as everyone loved it! I'd even call it amazeballs good, but Jesse hates when I say that ;P 

But enough yapping and onto the recipe, huh? 

Roasted Pumpkin and Feta Couscous Salad - serves 4-6 

Gluten free, low fat, vegetarian, clean eating friendly 
1 1/2 cups Freelicious Corn Couscous*

1 cup boiling water (you can also use stock for extra flavour)

1/3 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 cups butternut pumpkin, diced and roasted** 

~1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 

3 cups baby spinach 

1 clove garlic, crushed

Handful of raisins

In a saucepan, cook your couscous with the water and garlic salt according to the package directions, fluffing with a fork as you go.

Once your couscous has cooked, pour it into a mixing bowl to cool off. 

In the same pan, add your spinach and crushed garlic and cook over a medium heat until wilted, stirring constantly. 

Once the spinach has wilted, remove from the heat and mix your spinach and roasted pumpkin through your couscous. 

Place your mixing bowl into the fridge to chill. 

Once the couscous has chilled, mix through your crumbled feta and raisins. 

Serve cold or warm slightly. 

*If you don't have the corn couscous, you could also use regular couscous (though you may need to adapt the seasonings as the flavour will be different)

**I roast my pumpkin in garlic and herbs at about 200°C/400°F until caramelised and browned. You can also use roasted sweet potato if you prefer!

So tell me, raisins in a salad - yay or nay? 

and what's your crowd pleasing dinner party dish?