Bright, poppy colours, vibrant flavours and a whole lot of veggie goodness. This Spicy Roasted Cauliflower mix is set to become your new favourite recipe.
Cauliflower, roasted to perfection in a mixture of tangy zaatar, vibrant turmeric and toasted sesame oil. Paired with a rich and creamy avocado pesto, and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, and good for your gut spicy beet kraut. The very best recipes don’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most simple recipes – so long as they’re well thought through – can be the most flavoursome and delicious.
Roasted Salads
There’s a new foodie trend on the block guys, and I am totally loving it! Roasted salads take that love for nourishing, plant based summery salads, and transforms them into vibrant, flavoursome winter warmers.
I’m always preaching that natural, plant based whole-foods can taste absolutely incredible. It’s amazing how a handful of spices, and roasting your veggies until they’re golden and crispy (my fave) can transform your average veggie to a taste sensation!
My top tip for the tastiest roasted salads? Focus on just a few elements and really pack in that flavour. You don’t want too much going on, or it just becomes a loud clash of flavours and ingredients.
That’s exactly what I aimed to do with this recipe. I wanted to focus on perfecting each element; the spicy roasted cauliflower, the creamy avocado pesto, and some simple delicious finishing touches. Toasted pumpkin seeds, and my favourite ever spicy beet sauerkraut; for that pop of colour, added crunch, and vibrant flavour.
The avocado pesto
Okay guys, this might just be the tastiest, and easiest pesto ever. It’s got all the rich herby flavour of regular pesto, but made oh-so creamy with the addition of avocado. Add in a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon juice to really lift and brighten the flavour, and voila! You’ve got the most delicious avocado pesto to go with that spicy roasted cauliflower – total flavour bomb!
Feel free to make your own pesto as the base for this, but for ease, I chose to use my favourite jarred pesto from Seggiano. I don’t know how they make this stuff, but it’s pure flavour magic!
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large cauliflower (600g florets)
- 1.5 tbsp zaatar
- 2/3 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- Salt + pepper to taste
AVOCADO PESTO
- 1 large avocado
- 1.5 tbsp vegan pesto
- 1 - 2 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
TO SERVE
- 1 - 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 1/4 cup spicy beet sauerkraut or sauerkraut of your favourite flavour (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 180 fan and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Add the cauliflower to a bowl and toss with spices, oil, salt and pepper. Wear gloves if you have painted nails to avoid the turmeric staining your fingers! Massaging in the spices and oil in with your hands is crucial to getting the best flavour.
- Place the cauliflwoer on the baking tray and roast for 25 minutes. Add the pumpkin seeds and roast for a further 5 minutes.
- Bliz the avocado and pesto toeger with lemon juice and salt using a hand stick blender. Option to mash with a fork if you don't have one.
- Serve roasted caulifower with pumpkin seeds, avocado pesto and spicy beet kraut. Option to squeeze over more lemon if you like.
