Looking for a healthy yet filling salad? A light mediterranean salad or looking to cut back on your meat intake? Look no further than this Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad! This recipe feeds about 4 to 6 people,perfect for the whole family or a dinner party! PS its vegetarian friendly!
First things first: The chickpeas,this baking the chickpeas will take the longest to prepare and cook so start off with baking the chickpeas first.
-1 1/2 cup or 15oz can of chickpeas,drained,rinsed and patted completely dry.
-1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
-1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
-1/4 of fine sea salt
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with spices and oil. Lay them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until slightly browned and crisp, about 35 to 40 minutes. Toss chickpeas halfway through cooking time.
Secondly: The dressing!
-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon dijon style mustard
-1 clove of garlic,minced.
-1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
-1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and salt in a bowl. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking together the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Place aside.
Lastly:The Salad
-1 large head of cauliflower,cut into florets.
-1 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in halves
-1/2 cup of diced red onion
-1/3 cup of of kalamata olives finely chopped *optional*
-1 finely chopped english cucumber
-1 cup of finely chopped parsley
-1/3 cup of pine nuts
-1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
-salt and pepper to taste
Place the cauliflower florets in the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower reaches a fine, crumbled consistency. Be careful not to over process. You can also use a cheese grater if you do not have a food processor.
*Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and combine with the cherry tomatoes, onion, olives, cucumber, parsley, pine nuts, and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss well. Slowly drizzle with dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Once seasoned add roasted chickpeas and serve!*
