Summer is almost over. My ultimate goal of having a six-pack (with very minimum effort) in my bikini at the beach is over too. I’m disappointed in myself. I would love to have six, but so far I’ve only got one.
However, one of the non-disappointing things in my summer is this recipe.
I am a big fan of Food 52. While I am also a big fan of free online resources, I bought 2 cookbooks – Genius Recipes, and Vegan. This recipe is originally from the book Vegan. I changed a few things to make my life easier since some of the ingredients were hard to find.
This recipe takes 20 minutes to make. Simple, fast, refreshing and healthy. The most beautiful part of it is that I can make a bulk in advance, and serve it cold.
This serves approximately 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces.
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Dressing:
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 ºF ( 220 ºC).
- Toss the pre-cut cauliflower with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, boil quinoa in 2 cups of water. The quinoa-water ratio is 1:2.
- Whisk the dressing until it’s all mixed.
- Let the cauliflower cool down, then mix the quinoa, cauliflower, lemon zest, and currants in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until it is evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Before serving, add the mint.
CHUNG LING 