Crispy BBQ Cauliflower Cobb Salad

Hey friends! I hope you are having a really great day/week/month! But if you’re not…then maybe, just maybe this salad will help cheer you up! I know, I know it’s not that simple (if only!)…but sometimes when you’re sick or grumpy…a good meal can really help turn things around, am I right?! In fact, I regularly tell my husband how much my mood is directly correlated to what I’ve eaten. Sometimes trying a new recipe, or testing a new recipe doesn’t go well and more than the failure of the recipe…the disappointment of not having something delicious to eat is just really upsetting to me. And don’t even get me started on going out to eat and ordering something that ends up being gross. I once ordered a dish with “quinoa, roasted vegetables, and tahini”…how could that possibly go wrong?! Well, let me tell you. If the dish is cold, if the vegetables aren’t cooked enough, if everything is under-seasoned, and if there is only one drop of tahini…then it’s pretty wrong.

I promise you-you will not experience that type of disappointment when you make (and DEVOUR) this salad! It is fresh, crunchy, and perfect for these warm days that are lingering before we really welcome in Fall! AND you can customize this however you want! Most of these veggies were on their way to being thrown out if not used ASAP so this can even be a “clean out the fridge” type of deal. You could even throw in some chickpeas or black beans, or fresh tomatoes. Don’t want to use quinoa? Try brown rice, farro, or barley! Also, if you don’t want to bother with making a batter for your cauliflower, just skip that step all together!

After prepping all your veggies, and while your cauliflower is roasting away to crispy perfection, it’s all about layering! And then of course drizzling with a tasty dressing or vinaigrette! I’ve used my homemade ranch dressing for this salad but I’ve also whipped up an easy and lighter vinaigrette-both are amazing! When storing leftovers, make sure the dressing and salad are separate otherwise the lettuce will wilt and it won’t be as tasty!

Recipe Name

Alix | August 2019

• prep time: 15 Minutes
• cook time: 4o Minutes
• total time: 55 Minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of Cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup flour (use almond, or gluten free flour if necessary)
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1 tsp each: salt, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
• 1/2 Cup homemade or store bought BBQ sauce
• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 1 Head of Romaine
• 1 Red bell pepper, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup corn salsa or fresh corn
• 1/2 Large cucumber, diced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded purple cabbage
• Sunflower seeds (or other nuts/seeds of choice)
• Homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing

  Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 425 and prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix your flour, milk, and spices in a large bowl. Toss with your cauliflower until well coated.
• Arrange your cauliflower on your baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. After 30 minutes, toss your cauliflower florets in your BBQ sauce and place back in the oven for about 10 minutes.
• While your cauliflower is baking, prepare you quinoa and your veggies.
• Chop/Shred all of your veggies and arrange on a platter or in a large bowl.
• Preprare your dressing of choice.
• Toss your BBQ Cauliflower before your serving with a drizzle (or dollop, or liberal serving) of dressing and ENJOY!