Raw Cauliflower ‘Couscous’ salad because I’m feeling chubby

So, let me see a show of hands. How many of you are feeling a bit pickled from too much rosé (and/or mezcal), too many BBQ’s and the obligatory s’more, and overall just icky? Let’s face it summer vacation isn’t just for kids anymore and we’ve been pretending for the last ten weeks that eating ‘vacation food’ everyday is ok and that all of our self congratulatory consumption of farm stand produce somehow magically makes up for the all the overindulgence. Um. Nope.

“But I was in Italy/Ibiza/Hamptons/Greece/Hawaii/Vail” you might say….”I worked out/hiked/swam/ran/danced every day” you might protest…Well, I don’t know about you, but at my age (and this pisses me off more than I can express since I literally ran up MOUNTAINS this summer) it just doesn’t flipping matter. I always come home in September feeling chubby, bloated and highly motivated to do something about it. So, for the last three years I take the month of September off from booze; let’s call it “Sober September” and I really think about the food I consume.

The recipe I’m about to share with you kicks ass. It’s raw, nutritious, filling, textural, sweet and savory and yields a boat load so you only need to make it once a week. The food processor does 80% of the work for you, so preparation takes no time. Keep it in the fridge and reach for it every time you’re hungry.

Raw Cauliflower “Couscous” Salad
1/2 head cauliflower or 1 small head chopped into fat chunks
3 or 4 small carrots peeled and sliced (or 10-15 baby carrots to save time)
1 clove garlic or 2 scallions roughly chopped
1 tsp turmeric (if you have it)
1/4 tsp cayenne (or more to taste) or 1/2 a serrano roughly chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt or pink himalayan sea salt if you have it
4 tbs currants (or raisins, or dried cranberries)
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup parsely
1/4 cup cilantro
Note: I only had basil and cilantro today and that’s what I used
1/4 cup chopped raw almonds (or pine nuts, or pistachios)

For the dressing: combine 2 tbs light miso, 2 tbs tahini and the juice of one lemon. If it’s too thick add a little bit of water or more lemon juice to thin.

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Place the cauliflower, carrots, garlic or scallions, and serrano (if you’re using it) in the food processor and run until the veggies are minced and resemble couscous.

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Put the contents of the food processor in a bowl and add the turmeric, cayenne (unless you really love spice, exclude the cayenne if you’ve used the serrano), pepper and salt and stir to combine.

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Place all the herbs and your nuts of choice (not your spouses’) in the food processor and run until they are finely chopped.

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Add herbs, nuts and dried fruit of choice into the bowl and stir to combine and finally pour the miso dressing into the couscous and stir again. Refrigerate.

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So simple right? Have this for lunch and snacks for three or four days and you will start feeling less spongy. Promise.

Enjoy and always let your taste buds soar!
Hugs,
Maria

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