HELLO FALL! I love when my favorite grocery stores get in seasonally good vegetables. Cauliflower is something that is so easy to manipulate and add flavor too. It’s also just simply good on its own if you roast it in the oven for a bit. I love the stuff. It’s so good and healthy for you but also filling and yummy.
I feel like cauliflower just became “trendy” a couple years ago. It seemed like it was the new hot thing to be cooking up in your kitchen. It’s healthy but also dense and can substitute as a protein for vegetarian dishes. I’ve seen it done so many different ways. For example…cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower rice, buffalo hot wing cauliflower bites?!? I swear you can manipulate the stuff into anything you want!
This dish I made is something sweet and salty. It doesn’t take too many ingredients and everything is very bright and fresh tasting. A simple vinaigrette along with pepitas, craisins, arugula and roasted cauliflower is the perfect healthy side dish.
If you don’t like pepitas or craisins you can definitely substitute it for something similar. Sunflower seeds, pine nuts, slivered almonds…would all work great. Also, golden raisins is a great substitute for craisins.
WARM CAULIFLOWER SALAD TOSSED WITH ARUGULA AND A LEMON VINAIGRETTE
LEMON VINAIGRETTE
Prep time: 2 minutes
Total time: 2 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp honey
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black ground pepper
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. You can also use a mason jar and shake to combine.
CAULIFLOWER
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 36 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 head cauliflower, cut to chunks (about 2 cups)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup pepitas
1.5 cups arugula
1/4 cup craisins
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place cauliflower on a baking sheet and coat with oil, salt, and pepper. Mix cauliflower so that each piece is coated.
Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes or until slightly tender and light brown on the edges.
Remove from baking sheet and toss with arugula, pepitas, craisins, and lemon vinaigrette.
The arugula will wilt slightly with the heat of the cauliflower. Serve warm.