Warm Moroccan Roasted Cauliflower and Brussel Sprout Salad
Spend five minutes on the internet or casually flip through a magazine these days and you’re sure to stumble across (well-meaning, hopefully) advice on the best ways to take care of yourself.
Opinions on diets and what you can and cannot eat, and when and how much you should eat seem to flood our feeds, conversations and minds in the new year. You almost can’t escape it because just flipping on the tv to skimming the news; guaranteed, you will see and hear something about diet and exercise. New year equals diet and lifestyle trends. And so many of us are willing to at least make an attempt at it.
I’m not opposed necessarily, but I’m the first to admit the onslaught of information can be overwhelming and hard to sift through what is good and useful and what’s simply someone’s opinion.
Over the last couple years I’ve settled on a few things that seem to really help my overall health and well-bring and I thought I would share them. The following advice firmly falls into the ‘personal opinion’ camp, so take it all with a grain of salt.
Drinking a lot of water everyday makes me feel great; it helps me with fatigue and digestion and clears my skin. It is also annoying and gets boring and its a habit that seems to fall away the instant I (temporarily) lose my water bottle.
Walking outside, even in the rain, cold, wind and snow also makes me feel great. Its terribly hard to convince myself to go in bad weather and yet, when I put the leash on the dog and lace up my sneakers I’m always so glad to be out there. (Good music in my headphones or an interesting podcast help with the motivation factor).
Eating homemade food, mostly from ingredients that live in the refrigerator (or in the fruit bowl) make me feel healthy and strong. I will forever and always love to eat chips, peanut butter from the jar, cupcakes and sour patch kids and don’t plan to stop having those things ever. But, when I eat mostly fruits and vegetables, home-cooked dinners, eggs, greek yogurt, oatmeal, roasted broccoli and prep big salads for quick on-the-go meals; I have lots of energy, I sleep better and I overall just feel really well. It's annoying, but the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience of meal planning and prepping.
And finally, I found a workout that really works for me. This took years. When one of my best friends opened a Barrre3 studio a couple years ago, I was eager to try it out. I’d dabbled in running, bootcamps, CrossFit and yoga over the years, loving and hating it all at different points. But Barre3, for me, checked all the boxes I didn’t know I was looking for. The workout is tough and sweaty, blending strength and cardio with stretching and breath work. The music and energy are high and the class flys by in the blink of an eye. A little over a year ago, I did something I never in a million years thought I would do; I became an instructor. Now I get to lead classes, guiding and encouraging clients as they grow stronger, convincing them that taking an hour for themselves to move and breathe is well worth their time and effort.
Sharing recipes every month here in the magazine sort of falls into the same camp. I have the privilege of sharing recipes and meals that hopefully encourages you to feel inspired and confidant in your own kitchen.
This warm cauliflower and Brussel sprout salad is a wonderful addition to your winter meal rotation. The vegetables are roasted until crispy in the oven with lovely morrocan-inspired spices like turmeric, smoked paprika and cumin. Combined with pearled couscous, lots of herbs, lemon and salty feta cheese this salad is one I want on repeat until spring comes. A stand alone dish, this makes a wonderful lunch on the go but I also like to turn this recipe into a bowl, adding grilled chicken or leftover flank steak for a hearty and filling meal. Whatever you decide to do with this salad, you can’t go wrong. As per usual, lots of modifications can be made to tweak the ingredients to your preference. Currants or pomegranate seeds could be swapped for the raisins and slivered almond could be used instead of pistachios. Goat cheese would be a lovely swap for the feta or skipped altogether for a dairy-free option. If pearled couscous is hard to find, regular couscous is going to be great as would quinoa or a wild rice. Recipes can be tweaked and perfected to your specific taste, so don’t be afraid to make it your own (unless you’re baking something, then its extremely important you follow the recipe to a T).
Warm Moroccan Roasted Cauliflower and Brussel Sprout Salad
1 head large cauliflower
2 cups Brussel sprouts
1 1/2 cups pearled couscous
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
3/4 cup toasted pistachios
3/4 cup raisins (could also use currants or pomegranate seeds instead)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch green onions
1 tablespoon torn mint leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Rinse the cauliflower and cut the steam away, breaking the cauliflower into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Trim the ends off the Brussel sprouts and slice in half. Add them to the baking sheet. Make sure the vegetables are in one even layer. Depending on the size of your baking sheet and how large the cauliflower was, you may need to use two trays,
In a small bowl combine the coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, cumin, and granulated garlic. Stir to combine. Drizzle two to three tablespoons of olive oil over the cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, using clean hands to toss the vegetables, ensuring they are well-coated. Sprinkle the spice mixture liberally over the vegetables, gently shaking the tray to make sure the vegetables are evenly covered in the spices.
Roast the vegetables in the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan and using a spatula to flip the vegetables halfway through the cooking time. The vegetables are done when they are crispy brown in spots and fork tender. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside.
While the vegetables roast in the oven, cook the pearled couscous according to package instructions. When the couscous is finished cooking, fluff it with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the warm roasted vegetables to the bowl and use a wooden spoon to gently combine. Add the crumbled feta cheese, roasted pistachios and raisins to the bowl.
Mince the parsley, removing the long stems and finely chopping the leaves. Remove the white ends of the green onions and finely dice into thin circles. Add the parsley and green onions to the salad, gently mixing again.
Zest the lemon directly over the salad and then slice in half and squeeze all the juice over the salad. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Gently stir one last time to combine. Garnish with a few mint leaves just before serving.
*This is salad is lovely served warm immediately after preparing. But, the ingredients hold up exceptionally well to being made ahead. Simply allow the salad to cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe is great for easy lunches all week long.