Cauliflower "Couscous" with Cider Vinaigrette

Cauliflower "Couscous" with Cider Vinaigrette

I'm doing it again. I'm turing cauliflower into "couscous" and tricking Taylor into thinking he's eating the real deal. Yep, I've done this with pizza and I don't think I will stop at this couscous either. There are so many other wonderful things you can do with a giant head of cauliflower and I am just getting started! Honestly, the texture of this "couscous" is so close to the real deal that you wont miss a beat. The cider vinaigrette takes this meal to a whole new level. Don't let the ingredients for the dressing overwhelm you, you probably have everything in your pantry and the flavor combination is fantastic! We ate the entire salad in one sitting even though this should serve four people. This meal was light and delicious. It reminded me that spring is not far away. Our garlic has even decided to pop up and say hi. Hard to believe there was 2 feet of snow covering the farm two weeks ago! I'm ready for longer and sunnier days spent in the dirt. This couscous was exactly what the doctor ordered. Grab a fork and dig in!

Cauliflower Couscous with Cider Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 10 minuts
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped (make sure cauliflower is completely dry!)
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas (if canned, rinsed and drained)
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1/2 of a small red onion, diced
  • 1 cup parsly, diced
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
For the Cider Vinaigrette:
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp dijon style mustard
  • 1 TBS pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • pinch of fine sea salt

Preparation

  1. Prepare the dressing by combing all the ingredients in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth. You can also do this with a hand whisk. If you're doing it by hand add all the ingredients first and slowly add the olive oil while whisking.
  2. Place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a "couscous" type texture. Don't over process!
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once heated through add the "couscous" and chickpeas.  Cook only long enough to heat the couscous (about 3 minutes) Stirring often. Turn the heat off and add all the other ingredients. Stir in the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Notes

Use this recipe as a guide. Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary.

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