So here is what has happened so far.
I ate a lot of doughnuts this week. There were those apple cider doughnuts from the farmer's market. Then there was doughnut and whisky tasting (yeah right?!) with those delicious delights from Dough Doughnuts. There was also a chat with Fany who started it, but that was only the side show. Without doubt, the main attractions were the cinnamon, caramel and chocolate-seasalt fluffy dough babies... How can they not be!
I have been shooting a fair bit. For the magazine. For the blog. For some other projects. For a photography presentation that I hope to share more about later. Which means, I have been playing (a lot) with recipes and seasonal ingredients. And, the fridge is chock full at the moment and everyday is a new recipe and more lunches and dinners prepped for later. I love a full fridge! It makes me feel so much more optimistic about life. :)
Then I have a couple of articles, due yesterday, that I have not even begun with the opening word! So, I am tearing my hair out, just a teeny, tiny bit. But, it's ok. Everything in its time right? {fingers crossed}.
But, like I said, what has kept me going and happy for being busy is that full fridge. I am getting to eat healthy, filling and super tasty meals. And, interestingly, many of them are just vegetarian; No meat/dairy/fish/grains at all. Yet, they are proper mains, and not sides. Often, I have heard that vegetables do not have protein or you need to add cheese or an egg atleast to fill the protein quota for a balanced meal.
Actually, vegetables do have protein in them. They are just not the most efficient source of them. So, essentially you need to eat a lot of vegetables to get the same amount of protein needed. Also, you are not a strict vegetarian, and working out or in a cold place, you may actively crave more protein packed foods because you can absorb the nutrients faster with less. Nevertheless, eating more vegetables is never a bad thing.
Like a whole head of cauliflower in a salad for two. Splendid idea! Crunchy, light and definitely filling. Spiced up with a touch of turmeric and cumin, it rounds off nicely with soft and crunch roasted onion rings and melt-in-your-mouth roast garlic finished with a fresh hummus dressing and pomegranates.
TURMERIC ROAST CAULIFLOWER SALAD +
FRESH HUMMUS AND POMEGRANATE DRESSING
The hummus dressing gives weight to the salad and a bit of exotic oomph. It sticks into the ribs of the flowerless and sticks to you as you eat making each bite a satisfying one, much more than with a vinaigrette.
1 medium head of cauliflower
1 large red onion, sliced in circles
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
For the dressing:
1/4 cup of hummus (preferably homemade)
2 T water
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp z'atar
1/2 tsp aleppo chilli pepper
2 tsp lime juice
handful of pomegranate arils
salt, pepper and olive oil as needed
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Cut large flowerless from the head of the cauliflower following the natural stem pattern.
Arrange the cauliflower-lets, onion and garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over.
Sprinkle the ground turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper to season the vegetables and toss to coat.
Bake covered for 15 minutes and then open for 20 more till little dots of char start to appear.
Meanwhile, whisk together the hummus, water, lime juice, z'atar and aleppo to make a runny dressing.
When the vegetables have cooked through, drizzle the dressing generously over and top with pomegranates to serve.
You can also sprinkle some nuts and squeeze some lime juice.
