Chargrilled Cauliflower with Chilli and Garlic

A great nutritious accompaniment to a meal!

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, known for their cancer fighting properties.  High in vitamin C (one portion contains 77% of the recommended vitamin C daily amount), vitamin K and beta-carotene, cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich. Try this simple recipe to liven up your cauliflower dishes. I used to think cauliflower was rather bland but  I think, (like me) you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how simple yet yummy this dish is.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 heads of cauliflower
  • Olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 mild red chillies
  • Pepper and salt to season

 

  1. Cook the cauliflower in boiling water to blanch only (a couple of minutes). Cool it down completely by immersing in cold iced water, drain and dry completely (It mustn’t be wet).
  2. Once completely dry, toss in a couple of tps olive oil. Heat a griddle pan and grill the florets(in batches if necessary) on a high heat, turning them regularly so they get charred on all sides.
  3. In the meantime, heat 2 tbs olive oil and heat the whole garlic cloves and chillis until the garlic turns slightly golden.
  4. Pour them over the hot florets and toss together. Season to taste and serve!

 

Optional: Use broccoli instead of cauliflower or have a combination!

Variation: Add lemon slices or thinly sliced toasted almonds

Goat’s Cheese, Date and Walnut Salad

2 cups of mixed salad leaves of your choice

1/2 cucumber chopped

1 cup of mini tomatoes cut in half

1 cup of dates pitted and chopped in half

2 ripe pears (peeled or skin on) and chopped

2 figs quartered

½ cup walnuts chopped

200g Goat’s cheese crumbled

 

Optional: Blackberries to garnish

 

Dressing:

¼ cup honey (pure raw honey is the best)

60 ml apple cider vinegar

Lemon rind grated

1 Tbs lemon juice

60ml extra virgin olive oil

Seasoning to taste

 

  1. Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl
  2. Drizzle with the dressing

 

Alison Middleton

Roast Veg

This makes a nice change to boiling or steaming vegetables. Great as a side dish accompaniment to a roast or just on their own.

Choose any combination of all or some of the following (whatever you have to hand):

  • 4 cups of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and/or broccoli
  • 2 carrots
  • ½ squash
  • 6 parsnips
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 2 purple onions (cut into quarters) or 8 shallots
  • 2 courgettes
  • 1 red, orange or yellow pepper or a mixture
  • 1 large beet
  • 1 large garlic bulb, broken up into cloves and peeled (see trick above)
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 to 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
  • couple of sprigs of rosemary (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 400F or 200C
  2. Chop all the vegetables (except the parsnips – you can leave them as they are) in similar size chunks. If using cauliflower, break it up into florets or if using Brussel sprouts cut stems off and cut in half
  3. Toss all vegetables and whole garlic cloves with seasonings and oil
  4. Place vegetables on large sheet pan (Tip: cover the pan with parchment paper to make it easy for clean-up)
  5. Roast vegetables for 20 mins and stir, then roast for another 15 mins or until vegetables are golden brown on the edges.