Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Salad

I’m a crazy for cauliflower kind of girl. I love it steamed, roasted, pan fried, riced, mashed… you name it, I’m all over it. Last summer I wanted to create a Cauliflower salad that used Cauliflower rice because since cutting back on carbs, I missed having couscous or rice in a salad. I also love Moroccan flavours so decided to combine the two. This is an easy and cost effective salad that is easy to throw together and it looks great on a bed of spinach or greens. Perfect if you need to take a plate or for a dinner at your place.

This recipe was featured in Issue 4 of Mood Magazine. Enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Salad

Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Salad & Quick and Easy Raw Salad

1 head of cauliflower

2 tsp olive oil

1 + ½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp paprika

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Zest of 1 lemon

5 tbsp dried fruits ( I used dried cranberries + apricots)

4 tbsp nuts (I used chopped almonds + pine nuts)

Pomegranate seeds, coriander and mint to serve

1. Cut cauli roughly into florets and place into blender

2. Pulse until the cauliflower takes on a couscous like appearance.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the couscous, allow to cook for 5 to 7 minutes stirring frequently.

4. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

5. Once cooled add the spices, lemon zest, dried fruits and nuts.

6. Add finely chopped herbs 

7. Stir well and season

8. Top with pomegranate seeds, fresh mint and drizzle of tahini & lemon dressing

Halloumi, Asparagus & Avocado Salad

This week I went over to my friend Annalee’s house to teach her this amazingly delicious and super easy recipe. Annalee is a makeup artist & vlogger from New Plymouth, her kitchen is honestly heaven! It makes me so excited to build our house and my dream kitchen! Asparagus is still in season, and so is avocado - and I’m pretty sure halloumi is Annalee’s favourite food, so, match made in heaven!

Halloumi, Asparagus & Avocado Salad

1 small block halloumi cheese
1 bunch asparagus
1 avocado
1 bag spinach
2 free range eggs
Cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion

Heat a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and 1 heaped tsp butter, when heated, add in slices of halloumi cut approx 1/2 cm thick. Pan fry until browned on each side - watch while it cooks as it will burn easily.

Add a little more oil and butter to the pan in order to pan fry your asparagus. Fry for approx 3-4 minutes. Should be nice and crunchy. Season well.

Hard boil your eggs in boiling water for 10 mins and then put in cold water to cool.

Once everything is cooked, lay a bed of spinach in a bowl and then add in all of your other ingredients on top.

For the dressing mix together:
Juice from half a lemon
3-4 TBS olive oil
1 TBS wholegrain mustard
1/2 TBS mayonnaise if you want to make it creamy

Kumara & Pumpkin Superfood Salad

We are coming into salad season (YAY) and I am so excited to start upping my salad game! While we wait for summer to fully arrive, my absolute fave Spring salad mixes winter roast veg, with some fresh summer greens and salad veg coming into season.

Nothing beats this delicious combo of warm roasted vegetables with spinach, tomato, avocado and pumpkin seeds for some crunch. I almost always add a free range poached egg, it adds a great creaminess.

Roast the following at 180 degrees for 25-30 mins in olive oil or coconut oil, turning every 10 mins:Then

1 cup diced kumara 
1 cup diced pumpkin 
1 red onion 
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted in the last 10 mins

Then In a bowl combine;
1 cup spinach 
Handful cherry tomatoes 
Dressing of choice (I used a creamy avocado dressing)
1/2 an Avocado 
Feta cheese

Add your roast veges & pumpkin seeds to the salad and top with a poached egg if desired. 
You can easily add a protein like chicken or beef to this too. 

Enjoy!

Delicious spring salad featuring roast veg!

Roast veggies with pumpkin seeds

Roasted Moroccan Chickpea, Cabbage & Broccoli Salad

Hot summer days mean salads for dinner in our house, and I admit, I'm not the most original in my salads usually (green salad anyone?), so I have been experimenting with new salads over the past month and this is one of my new faves.

This salad is simple, refreshing & tasty.  You can change up the flavour by mixing through whatever salad dressing you think will go with it (would be lovely with a creamy dressing) or I have popped a basic recipe for a lemon dressing that I really like.My advice would be to not add the dressing until you are serving, as the chopped salad stays fresh in the fridge for 3 days without the dressing. Just add dressing as you serve.

Make it is easy, and just two steps - quick chopping of the raw ingredients, and roasting up the crunchy stuff  in the oven.

Chickpea, Cabbage & Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

For the oven:
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 TBS Moroccan seasoning

For the main salad:
1/2 Red cabbage finely chopped
1 x head Broccoli finely chopped
1 x Carrot grated
1/2 avocado
Fresh baby spinach leaves

First, prepare the chickpeas and almonds. If using canned chickpeas, drain and dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, toss in olive oil and mix through the morroccan seasoning.
Place the chickpeas on a lined baking try and add the almonds. Bake for 15-20 mins at 180 degrees.

Next place the salad ingredients in a bowl for serving.  You can use any dressing you fancy or have handy, I make the following and it's super yum, simple and quick.
Mix up the following in a bowl; extra virgin olive oil, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper

Top your salad with the roasted chickpeas and almonds, and enjoy!