Roasted Moroccan Spiced Vegetables with Sundried Tomato Cous Cous

As I said in my last post, my sister recently went to Morocco and picked up some spices for me! She had been studying abroad in Geneva for the year, and while on break in Spain, she took a ferry to Morocco. She wanted to say she'd been to Africa!
In addition to the Moroccan mixed spices she got cumin and saffron for me. Everyone knows how expensive saffron is, so when Becky got a gram for me in Morocco and my friend Jen sent me a gram from her trip to the Caribbean, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world!
I finally unpacked my spices and have been really excited to start using them (Becks also got me some Herbs de Provence - she took a special side trip to France to get it for me! What a sister!)


So for dinner tonight, I decided to make a big tray of roasted vegetables with the Moroccan house spice mix (cumin, corriander, cinnamon, anise, cardamom, paprika, turmeric, etc.) with garbanzo beans over some cous cous. The meal was very hearty and filling, and full of delicious vegetables!


I realize that not everyone has the Moroccan Spice Blend, so I will try to write a recipe for it soon when I run out and mix more. I find that it seems to be 4 parts cumin and corriander to 1 part all of the other spices listed above, but again, I'm going to try to mix it up soon!

Roasted Moroccan Spiced Vegetables

with Sundried Tomato Cous Cous

Vegetables:

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

1 large zucchini, diced

1/2 lb. Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. Moroccan spice blend

salt and pepper

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add all vegetables and beans to the baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO, spices, salt and pepper.

Toss to coat, roast for 30 minutes.

Serve with cous cous.

Cous Cous:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

1 c. vegetable stock
2/3 c. whole wheat cous cous
10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped


Add EVOO, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a small stock pot over medium heat.
Saute' for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add stock, bring to a boil, add cous cous and tomatoes, stir.
Turn heat off, cover and let cous cous sit for 5-8 minutes.
Toss with a fork, plate with vegetables.

Becky's photos:

1. The market in Tangier

2. Becky and her classmates at a Casbah (Becks is on the right)

3. The ferry she took from Spain to Tangier