Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpea Salad

I posted this photo on my Instagram stories earlier this week and seriously got TONS of replies asking for the recipe- so here it is! Who knew so many people loved roasted cauliflower!? I always thought I was in the minority. I could eat it every day.

The best part about this recipe is that I kind of just made it up. It started as this salad (linked HERE) and has kind of evolved over time. I buy a head of cauliflower almost weekly and chickpeas are a pantry staple so this is such an easy go-to. Fresh parsley isn't necessary but adds a little color and extra flavor! (another thing that's almost always on my grocery list).

A great way to make this salad even heartier is by adding a few stalks of chopped kale. Just add a little more olive oil to your dressing! My new favorite kitchen tip: mix your salad dressing up right in your salad bowl! Add salad ingredients and toss when you're ready. 

Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpea Salad

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil + more for drizzling
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
handful flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Arrange cauliflower and chick peas in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toss with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing about halfway through.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Once the cauliflower and chickpeas are done, transfer to the salad bowl and toss in the dressing. Add chopped parsley and toss once more. 

Cauli Crust Skillet Pizza with Sausage, Mushrooms + Peppers

Pizza is our FAVORITE. Normally, I'm all about eating the real thing and just going all in on Fridays when we either make homemade pizza or venture out to one of our favorite local spots. But sometimes, I just can't wait until Friday and the craving hits hard. I'm all about clean and healthy eating but I've never really been into healthy pizza alternatives. If I'm going to eat pizza, I'd rather EAT PIZZA. 

I did, however, have a change of heart last week when my friend posted a picture of her cauliflower pizza crust on Instagram. My mouth was seriously watering and I saved the recipe. I've had cauli crust on my radar for quite some time and I was eager to give it a whirl. 

This cauliflower crust is AMAZING! I'm not saying that this should replace your weekly (real) pizza night, but I am saying that you should give this a try for when the pizza craving hits but you're trying to stay healthy. Mark was a skeptic and I totally won him over with this! If you're expecting this crust to hold it's own and act like a real pizza, it just doesn't do that. Know that you'll be eating it with a fork and just load on the toppings. 

Now, you can make this crust as easy or as complicated as you want. I ended up pulsing mine in the food processor and cooking for 15-20 minutes, then squeezing out some of the liquid, but I certainly don't think it's necessary. Next time I'm going to try just pulsing and mixing it raw, then cooking it in the oven before topping with my toppings. Skp the cheese (in the crust and on top) to make this Paleo and Whole 30 friendly! 

Make your Monday taste like a Friday. Kind of.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

recipe adapted from ifoodreal.com

1 small head cauliflower

1 egg

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. oregano

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Wash and chop cauliflower into florets. Place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is finer than you would when making cauliflower rice.

In a bowl, combine cauliflower, egg, cheese and seasonings. Mix until combined. 

Form "dough" in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet, pressing it together. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Top with toppings of choice. (I did Italian sausage, peppers and mushrooms with marinara and mozzarella) Bake until cheese is nice and bubbled. Cut and serve!

Butternut Cauliflower Coconut Chicken Curry

File this one under things unlike anything else I've ever made. I love trying new recipes and mixing it up a bit. This dish is FULL of flavor and has so many different flavor dimensions. The base is creamy and coconutty with a giant punch of that unmistakable curry flavor. I found the original recipe in this month's issue of Cooking Light, but tweaked a few things to clean it up and added chicken to make it a protein packed, complete meal. The roasted chick peas and peas are the perfect crunch on top! 

This meal is perfectly fine as is, which is how we ate it, but it would also be delicious over quinoa or even jasmine rice! The roasted chick peas and peas on top create the most perfect crunchy bite. We loved this dish! 

Butternut Cauliflower Coconut Chicken Curry

1 (15 oz.) can unsalted chick peas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 small chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
1.5 Tbsp. curry powder
3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
6-8 chicken tenderloins

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Place chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Spread chickpeas in an even later and bake for 30 minutes. Add peas to pan and bake for another 5 minutes, or until peas and chick peas are crisp. 

Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. 

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange chicken tenderloins on sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until juices run clear.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil with the onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add curry powder and cook for another minute or so. Add butternut squash and cauliflower, as well as the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. 

Remove pan from heat and stir in coconut milk. Slice chicken and add it to the vegetables. Serve with roasted chick peas and peas on top! 

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea + Kale Salad

Cauliflower often gets the shaft when it comes to vegetables and it really isn't fair. I'm sure many of you grew up eating it boiled or steamed resulting in a somewhat mushy and blah blob and then, well, I don't blame you for not liking it. But roasting it? Roasting cauliflower opens a whole new world, one that I cannot get enough of. It becomes sweet and slightly crisp on the edges and with just a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper, is simply good. 

This recipe inspiration came as I was flipping through Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook, "It's All Good". Roasted cauliflower and chick peas is where I started and kale seemed like the perfect third ingredient. Tossing the warm, roasted veggies with the raw kale slightly wilts and softens it, without losing the crunch. Mark, who doesn't jump up and down at even roasted cauliflower, went back for seconds of this salad.

With cauliflower in season now, pick up a head and try this tasty salad. If you're still not convinced, check out these tasty ideas from Cooking Light. I'm determined to make cauliflower lovers out of all of you. 

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea + Kale Salad

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 can organic chick peas/garbanzo beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed

2 Tbsp. good olive oil

Handful fresh parsley, chopped

generous pinch of salt and pepper

Large bunch of kale, washed and chopped

3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. dijon mustard

1/4 cup good olive oil

salt + pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss cauliflower, chick peas, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes.

To prepare the kale for the salad, wash and cut along the rib of the leaf. Place on a cutting board and roughly chop. 

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.

When the cauliflower and chick peas are done roasting, toss in a large bowl with kale and dressing.

Rosemary + Basil Mashed Cauliflower

When the crisp, fall-like feeling enters the air, I feel like the whole world presses the reset button. I always say that Spring is my favorite season, but when Fall rolls around, I seem to change my mind. Fall is definitely my favorite. This is the time of year that my body also seems to crave warm and cozy comfort foods. Why is it that our bodies tend to work this way!?

Ever since Mark and I started to make the Paleo Diet a blueprint of how we eat, I have discovered a new love of taking favorite comfort foods and trying to make them healthier (and Paleo friendly!) The first time I made mashed cauliflower, I boiled the cauliflower and mashed it with a potato masher. YUCK! It just wasn't the best and the consistency was off. But, after I made Paleo Farmer's Pie, I discovered that sticking the cauliflower in my food processor resulted in a much creamier and richer texture. I made this rosemary and basil mashed cauliflower last week to enjoy with our chicken picatta. This is a great substitute for mashed potatoes! I still love a giant pile of mashed potatoes with gravy on Thanksgiving, but for weeknight cooking, I think I'll stick with the cauliflower. With a drizzle of good olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs, you may not even be able to tell the difference!

Rosemary + Basil Mashed Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, washed and cut
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
Drizzle of good olive oil
Salt + pepper to season
Fresh shaved parmesan (optional)

Place washed and cut cauliflower in a medium-large heavy bottom pan. Fill with water until the the water just covers the tops of the cauliflower. Boil/steam cauliflower on medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes, until it can be easily pierced with a fork. 

Drain cauliflower in a colander and let cool for 5-10 minutes. In a food processor, add cauliflower and drizzle with good olive oil. Pulse until the cauliflower is the right consistency for you. 

Place mashed cauliflower in a bowl and season with herbs, salt, pepper and if desired, garnish with a small sprinkle of freshly shaved parmesan.