Roasted Cauliflower with Dates, Pine Nuts, & Garbanzo Beans

For everyday eating, I subscribe to the E.N.D. mantra - Easy, Nutritious, Delicious. Fortunately for my tiny pocketbook, this also usually means "super cheap". Shopping for produce at local markets with high turnover, you should be able to find a wide variety of seasonal ingredients at good prices, ensuring a well-balanced diet, and highly-entertained palate. Taste and texture are paramount for me. I am not about to wear a bland-vegetable hairshirt in order to live a long, healthy life. Luckily, that's not necessary. Vegetables are delicious. And I can prove it.

Without further ado, here's the latest (and my recent favorite -  seriously, I make it at least once a week), roasted cauliflower with dates, pine nuts, and garbanzo beans.

Serves 3-4 as an Entree
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2t cumin seeds 
1/2C raw pine nuts
1/2C medjool dates, pitted & finely chopped
1T coconut oil 

1 large cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (flat sides help browning) 
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed 
juice from 1 lemon 
olive oil
S&P
freshly chopped parsley for garnish 

Preheat oven to 350'. Oil a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. 
In a medium skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, heat about 30 seconds. Add garlic, pine nuts, and dates. Gently stir for about 1-2 minutes, just until the pine nuts turn golden. Remove pan from heat and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, garbanzo beans, and date mixture. Squeeze in lemon juice, stir, and spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and roast for about 30-35 minutes, until the cauliflower begins to brown. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately. Reheat leftovers in a skillet or microwave. 

Enjoy! 


Adapted from the Kripalu School of Ayurveda