Curry & Tahini Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Bowl with Green Goddess Dressing

Grain bowls have been an inescapable food trend over the past few years, and for a long time, I associated them with “health food” and found them incredibly unappealing. I couldn’t see the draw in a dry, meatless meal so I avoided them at all costs. After reading the new Canadian Food Guide, I knew my attitude about whole grains had to change but I didn’t want to sacrifice taste in the process. This recipe is my answer to my grain bowl food woes – it’s packed with a ton of flavour and is entirely veggie and grain focused without feeling boring.

There are a few special touches in this recipe that do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of flavour. The tahini in the cauliflower makes it delightfully creamy, and adding a bouillon cube to quinoa as it’s cooking makes the plain grain flavourful without competing with the veggies and dressing.

Recipe note: the roasted cauliflower, quinoa salad and green goddess dressing are all great standalone recipes as well – I usually make big batches and then use them in different dinners all week (the cauliflower is great in wraps and both the green goddess and quinoa are great with mixed greens for a quick salad).

INGREDIENTS:

Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 heaping tablespoons tahini
• ½ teaspoon salt

Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
• 2 cups water
• 1 chicken bouillion cube
• ½ red onion, diced
• ½ English cucumber, diced
• 1 ripe tomato, diced

Green Goddess Dressing

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• 2 green onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, toss cauliflower with olive oil, spices and tahini in a large bowl. Spread evenly on foil-covered baking sheet and roast in oven for 10-12 minutes, or until tender.
2. Place water, quinoa, and boullion cube in pot, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender and the liquid is absorbed. Place in fridge to cool while preparing cauliflower and dressing.
3. Combine all Green Goddess dressing ingredients in food processer and pulse until smooth and creamy.
4. Toss quinoa with onions, cucumber and tomato and top with roasted cauliflower. Drizzle green goddess dressing over cauliflower just before serving.