Winter Roasted Vegetables over Couscous

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and cut the beets into ½-inch thick sticks. Put them on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tbsp oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until the beets are tender and browned on the bottoms, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Peel the carrots and chop them on a diagonal in ¼-inch thick slices. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegan butter. Once butter is melted, add the carrots and cook until tender, tossing occasionally to lightly caramelize both sides, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Rinse and destem the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Thinly slice the garlic. Mince the chives. Chop the olives. Rinse the lemon and zest about 1 tsp of the peel into a small bowl. Add the chives, chopped olives, vinegar, and 1 tbsp oil to the bowl. Mix well with a fork.

To a medium saucepan add 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt. Place over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the couscous, reduce heat to low and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 10 minutes.

Once the carrots are tender, add the kale, garlic, and thyme and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the kale turns tender and more green. Squeeze the juice from half of the lemon over the skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the couscous and roasted beets between your plates. Top with the buttery carrots and kale and drizzle the Kalamata olive vinaigrette over the whole dish. Enjoy!