ALWAYS SO POPULAR
H is for heat; H is for harissa
AUTHOR SOPHIE STEEVENS reversed her autoimmune disease naturally through a plantbased diet, and she shares this story of recovery through her Instagram Raw and Free, along with wholesome recipes to inspire others.
She is the mother of three young boys and the family happily lives a plant-based lifestyle.
With simplicity, nutritious goodness and bold flavours in mind Sophie shares 100 new, moreish recipes in her second cookbook, Simple Wholefoods.
Plant-based, gluten-free and refined sugar-free, these modern, family-friendly recipes all use ingredients as close to their natural state as possible.
As well as new scrumptious recipes Simple Wholefoods includes invaluable tips to broaden your wholefood, plantbased lifestyle, emphasising how easy it can be to make healthier lifestyle choices for both you and your family
HARISSA YOGHURT ROAST CAULIFLOWER, CHICKPEAS, ROCKET AND TOASTED ALMONDS
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets, then finely sliced
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1⁄2 cups cooked chickpeas)
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds drizzle olive or avocado oil (optional) sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
3⁄4 cup sliced almonds
2-3 handfuls rocket leaves (or baby spinach)
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Harissa Yoghurt Dressing
3⁄4 cup coconut yoghurt
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp mild rose harissa paste (see tip) 1 tsp pure maple syrup
Method
I could seriously eat this salad just about every day of the week. It’s all kinds of wonderful and a definite favourite in the book! It requires minimal effort to put together and is always so popular. It has quickly become my go-to impressive salad for feeding guests and it’s the perfect pick for a potluck dinner. Complementing many dishes, dips and dressings, harissa is a wonderful North African spice paste that can be homemade or easily found in stores.
For this particular recipe, I’ve gone for a natural rose harissa paste — a sweet and mild paste with added rose petals.
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-bake. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Place the cauliflower florets and chickpeas on the prepared tray and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle over the coriander and cumin seeds. Lightly drizzle with oil, if desired, and season to taste. Bake for about 25 minutes, until tender.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, tossing frequently to avoid burning, for about 2 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
For the Harissa yoghurt dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
To make the salad, place the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, almonds, rocket and spring onion in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the dressing and gently mix through.
Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and serve.
Tip: Store-bought harissa paste varies in strength and heat so keep this in mind and adjust accordingly when making this dressing. Rose harissa is a gorgeous variation I chose for this salad, however, any natural harissa paste will work. Rose harissa is available in most healthfood or Mediterranean food stores. You can also order it online. —