This recipe was born out of necessity and what was in my fridge, but it has quickly become a staple in my kitchen.
A few months back, I was on a cleanse, and always scouting for yum things I could make that didn’t involve gluten, dairy or meat. I opened my fridge and found kale and cauliflower, and was inspired by Najib’s Special, which is one of my favorite things to eat at Nuba. If you’ve never had it, really, do yourself a favor and get your butt down there.
So… it may have been born out of necessity and what was in my fridge, but I’ve made it multiple times over the last few months. I am blessed with an abundance of friends who have specific dietary restrictions: a couple of new friends are vegan, many of my old friends have converted to gluten-free, and well, no matter what kind of diet you stick to, this is just plain tasty.
So, thanks Darien, Johanna, Chris and Jenn for all the opportunities for improvement.
Roasted Cauliflower, Kale and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Quinoa
- 1 cup + a bit water
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2 head of cauliflower
- 4-5 ribs kale
- olive oil
- Cumin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3-4 tbs of sesame seeds
For the dressing:
- 1/4 c tahini
- 1/4 c lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Garnish options:
- roasted, chopped almonds
- crumbled feta or goat cheese
- roasted, whole cumin seeds
Method:
1. Start by dry-roasting the quinoa in a frying pan over medium heat. Watch it very carefully and shake the pan often so it doesn’t burn. The quinoa will pop a bit like popcorn, and turn a lovely light brown.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the water with a pinch of salt. When it’s at a boil, add the roasted quinoa, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until nearly all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for an additional 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, wash and chunk up your cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Peel the onion and cut into bite-sized chunks as well. Toss in a tablespoon or so of olive oil, salt and pepper and sprinkling of cumin. Place on a cookie sheet and roast in a hot oven (400-450 degrees) for about 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is nicely caramelized and roasty.
4. Make kale chips.
5. Assemble all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
6. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small mason jar, and shake to combine. Taste to see that the seasoning is correct, or that the dressing is not too acidic.
7. Dress the salad and mix well. Garnish with whatever option you choose and enjoy! This tastes great warm, or you can eat it cold.
