Ok, so as you may or not know by now if you follow along, Monday dinners are salads. Do I have a go to salad? Not really. I almost never have the exact same ingredients available, so kind of like a snowflake, no two are ever alike. What I do enjoy is mixing it up. Salads are just so forgiving that you can really add all kinds of things & end up with a great combination, plus tons of nutrients if you toss in a wide assortment of ingredients. What is your favorite item to toss in?
One of my favorite ingredients is cauliflower. Roasted cauliflower is just so good! It takes on a slight nutty taste, while still being so neutral that it works with all kinds of flavors. Originally I roasted this cauliflower because I was going to make a roasted cauliflower hummus. I roasted the cauliflower & had it sitting on the counter waiting for me to get my act together to peel the chickpeas. My hummus is a process. Worth it, but a process nonetheless. But the longer I stared at that big bowl of chickpeas, calculating the time to peel, the more it no longer seemed like a task for that day. Procrastination, maybe, but in this case I like to call it a pivot in direction. This cauliflower instead became the highlight of Monday’s latest salad creation. A much better choice than peeling chickpeas for sure!
Side note: Does anyone else hear Ross screaming pivot every time they hear the word? Where are my Friends super fans at?
Roasted Cauliflower & Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 bunch lacinato kale sub your favorite greens
- 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup farro
- 1 cup water
- 3 medjool dates, chopped
- 1/4 cup almonds whole or sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves
Spiced Citrus Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 lemon, juiced meyer lemon if available
- 1 tsp vegan honey sub agave
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° & line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Prepare the farro. Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling add the farro. Reduce the heat to low & simmer covered for 20 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat & let cool.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets. Place on the baking tray & roast for 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking give a quick toss to turn the florets to another side to roast. Remove from oven & set aside.
- While the farro & cauliflower cook prepare the vinaigrette. Whisk together all the ingredients until well incorporated. Set aside.
- Prepare your kale by washing, destemming & giving a rough chop. Add to a large bowl & drizzle a spoonful of the vinaigrette on top. With your hands, give the kale a gentle squeeze to soften the leaves making it easier to digest.
- Chop up the remaining salad ingredients.
- Assemble the salad by adding the cauliflower, farro, onions, dates, almonds & fresh herbs to the kale. Give it a good toss. Dress the salad with 1-2 tbsp of dressing & serve the remainder on the side as needed.
