Caramelized Cauliflower Salad

[nverland]

Caramelized Cauliflower Salad
Prep time 15 mins Cook time 30 mins Total time 45 mins Serves: 3 to 4 servings

1 medium head cauliflower
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
2 red peppers (see note)
½ cup uncooked quinoa
¼ cup minced cilantro
¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup pepitas

Preheat oven to 425˚ F. Cut cauliflower into bite-size florets. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. Place on a baking tray along with whole red peppers. Roast, turning/stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is caramelized and peppers charred: 25-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Remove the skin from the roasted red pepper and dice.
Rinse quinoa and combine with 1 cup water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for until water is almost fully absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let sit until remaining water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Combine quinoa, cauliflower, and roasted red pepper in a bowl. Add cilantro and parsley to quinoa mixture.
To make dressing, combine olive oil, lime juice, and honey in a jar with liquid. Shake until combined. Pour on salad and toss until combined. Taste and add more salt as desired.

Notes
+ During the winter you can use jarred red peppers instead of fresh peppers.
+ To make vegan, omit the honey or use your favorite substitute.

Variations for the Cauliflower Salad
This cauliflower salad makes for a really nice base to add in any extras you might like. You could even change the flavor profile of the salad by leaving out the cilantro completely and using lemon in the dressing instead of lime.

Legumes: As a couple commenters have done, chickpeas make a really great add to this salad. I recommend toasted the chickpeas to add a slight crunch to dish.

Cheese: Goat cheese and feta can be added, depending on the type of cheese you like. If you switch to a lemon/parsley flavor, I highly recommend tossing in a bit of feta.

Grains: I find myself using quite a bit of quinoa primarily because it cooks up quickly. However, any precooked grain would work here including millet, einkorn, or sorghum.