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19 In Article/ Lunch/ Main/ Recipes/ Vegan/ Vegetarian

Beetroot and Pomegranate Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad

A couple of months ago I received an invite to attend Love Beetroot’s #DontSkipABeet event – an awesome cooking workshop with the infamous dreamboat and head chef of the Duck and Waffle – Dan Doherty. Sadly I had too much on at the time and had to decline this amazing offer. If you haven’t heard of Love Beetroot before then head on over to their Instagram for some seriously droolworthy beet-a-licious food photography! The Love Beetroot website was set up by a family farming company based in Ely, Cambridgeshire to promote the many benefits of beetroots. Amen to that!

This Beetroot and Pomegranate Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad takes a vegan spin on a Dan Doherty X Love Beetroot collaboration for a healthy, nutritious meal ready in minutes.

As I was unable to make the cook along workshop I was instead set the challenge to recreate one of Dan’s delicious recipes and put my own spin on it. Dan’s recipes included; a Mild Malt Beetroot Dip with Feta, Sesame, and Lime, Sweet Chilli Beetroot and Ricotta Filo Tarts with Nigella Seeds, Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin with Honey and Thyme and a Cheddar Pastry (OMG!), and a Beet-a-Ganouch Sweet Chilli Beetroot dip with Sumac Yogurt and Toasted Pine Nuts. (Dan please come and cook for me because these all sound divine!)

Initially I wanted to go for a cross between Dan’s Tarte Tatin and Beet-a-Ganouch Dip by making a Galette with Middle Eastern flavours. Although the results were amazing the weather hotted up suddenly and the thought of posting a pastry based recipe when the sun was blazing just wasn’t so appealing anymore (sorry). So, in the end, I stuck with Dan’s Middle Eastern vibe of his Beet-a-Ganouch Dip and opted for this gorgeously vibrant Beetroot and Pomegranate Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad. I am after all 1/4 Israeli and so naturally drawn to pretty much all Middle Eastern food. Plus it is literally the best food ever!

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I went with a sort of Ras-el-hanout spice mix for my cous cous seasoning but pepped up the bitterness with some raisins, pomegranate seeds, lemon zest, and of course a generous glug of pure pomegranate molasses. The results were mouth watering to say the least.

When making vegan recipes that are grain-free I like to look at the whole nutritional picture and that’s why I’ve included a gorgeous mint and coconut yogurt sauce that is rich in good fatty acids, and toasted seeds to add in some much needed protein. For good measure you might want throw in some toasted nuts too such as almonds and/or pistachios and if you eat legumes and pulses definitely throw in some organic tinned chickpeas! Because chickpeas are bomb! If you’re not vegan however then some griddled halloumi or chicken breast will make for a great, hearty meal.

This recipe isn’t in the slightest bit technical – if you’ve had problems making cauli rice before then it’s probably due to the fact that you’re not drying your cauliflower well enough before cooking or you’ve added in some butter or oil to you pan before you cook it. The key is to keep your cauliflower as dry as possible which means dry frying is an absolute must! If like me you love to eat the whole cauliflower then hold back the large thick core and the green leaves surrounding the cauliflower to use another time – they’re great in a stir fry! I’ve also used pre-packaged pickled beetroots from Waitrose that have been infused with a gorgeous chilli flavour – this makes the meal prep even more simple – LOVE it! (They do contain sugar so they’re not strictly Paleo sadly but great for a quick cheat meal!)

Before I share my wonderful recipe with you guys though, I just want to tell you why everyone should eat beetroot, and I mean everyone. So here it goes:

  • Beetroots are high in anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and carbohydrates.
  • They contain betaine – a crystalline compound that protects the cells within your body from sresst, promoting healhty inflammation levels and aiding joint and liver health.
  • You’ll find inorganic nitrates in beets that can dialte your bloods vessels and lower your blood pressure, increasing the delivery of oxygen to your cells.
  • For pretty much all the reasons above they’re actually great for sports performance – delaying the onset of muscle fatigue and increasing your stamina.

Now you have to admit that’s pretty darn cool right? (Or maybe I’m just a stupendous geek about these sorts of things.) Anyways enough of my waffling people here is my gorgeously vibrant and delicious Beetroot and Pomegranate Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad.

Are you beet crazy too? Good we can be best friends… and maybe you can try out my Pink Beetroot Latte or Beetroot Pie with Vanilla Creme for good measure too!

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Beetroot and Pomegranate Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This Beetroot and Pomegranate Cauliflower Cous Cous Salad takes a vegan spin on a Dan Doherty X Love Beetroot collaboration for a healthy, nutritious meal ready in minutes.
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the cauli cous cous:

  • Head of large cauliflower
  • ½ large onion (finely diced)
  • ½ large fennel bulb (finely diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (diced)
  • 4 tbsp raisins
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground mixed peppercorns (I used black and pink)
  • ½ tsp sumac
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 360g (2 packs) Waitrose Sweet & Spicy Chilli Beetroot (diced)
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • ½ tsp fine Himalayan pink salt (if coarse grind)
  • 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves (roughly chopped)
  • 3 tbsp fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
  • Seeds of 1 pomegranate
  • Zest of 1 lemon
For the mint and yogurt dressing:

  • 170g coconut/Greek yogurt
  • 25g fresh mint
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp argan/extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine Himalayan pink salt (if coarse grind)
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ cup water
Optional toppings:

  • Large handful microgreens
  • 4 tsp dried rose petals
  • 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds (toasted)
  • 2 tbsp black sesame seeds (toasted)
Instructions
  1. Wash and dry your cauliflower thoroughly. Be sure to remove any excess moisture! Start removing the large leaves from the cauliflower before cutting off the base of the root. Remove as much of the root as you can leaving only florets. If you have any particularly large florets chop them smaller. Add your cauliflower florets to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until your cauliflower resembles that of grains of cous cous. Be sure to scrape down the sides frequently to ensure an even blend. If you don't have a food processor you can use a grater however you'll end up with large 'grains'. Pat dry with some kitchen towel to absorb any excess moisture.
  2. Add your cauliflower cous cous, diced onion, fennel, and garlic, raisins and ground spice mix to a large dry skillet (do not add oil!). Give it a good stir and cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes until the onions begin to soften a little. Stir frequently before adding your diced beetroot and covering and cooking for a further 2-5 minutes. Your cauli cous cous such be soft but tender.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in your pomegranate molasses, fine Himalayan pink salt, fresh mint and coriander, pomegranate seeds and lemon zest.
  4. It's now time to make your mint and coconut yogurt dressing. Add all of your ingredients for the dressing into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides frequently to ensure an even blend.
  5. Serve up your cauli cous cous before drizzling with the dressing and adding anything from the optional toppings in the ingredients list.
Notes
This dish is delicious served both hot or cold and so can be enjoyed all year round!

 

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19 Comments

  • Reply
    Brit McGinnis
    8th May 2017 at 5:31 pm

    Mmmm, delish. More pomegranates in food, please!

  • Reply
    Brit McGinnis
    8th May 2017 at 5:39 pm

    Nice use of couscous! Need to find more of these out there.

  • Reply
    edwarddb
    8th May 2017 at 9:16 pm

    Great idea with the cauliflower cous cous – so versatile. Great photography too!

  • Reply
    Fresh Planet Flavor (@freshplanetflvr)
    9th May 2017 at 2:13 am

    Love that I have access to pre-made cauliflower rice here at Trader Joe’s in the States, do you have it across the pond?

  • Reply
    Renee Kohley
    9th May 2017 at 3:29 pm

    I don’t think I would have thought to put all of these flavors and textures together! I struggle with getting beets in! Thanks for the great recipe!

  • Reply
    Jean
    9th May 2017 at 5:38 pm

    Wow, this is almost too pretty to eat! I love the addition of yogurt for that creaminess.

  • Reply
    thecastawaykitchen
    9th May 2017 at 11:00 pm

    Love the spices and the yogurt here. What a beautiful dish!

  • Reply
    michelespring2014
    10th May 2017 at 12:03 am

    Love it. So healthy and refreshing! When are you going to make a cookbook with all of your gorgeous recipes girl?

  • Reply
    Tina T.
    10th May 2017 at 1:37 am

    This salad looks so beautiful and yummy!

  • Reply
    Irena Macri
    10th May 2017 at 6:22 pm

    Way to go on the food and flavour combinations here. This is just stunning, and I can practically taste the photos! I can’t wait to try this one.

  • Reply
    Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
    11th May 2017 at 7:39 am

    You make the most beautiful food! I’m always in awe of your creations. The flavors in this sounds amazing, I especially love the fennel in there.

  • Reply
    Katja
    11th May 2017 at 7:31 pm

    I love cauliflower AND I love beets! This recipe is totally for me!

  • Reply
    chihyusmith
    12th May 2017 at 3:55 am

    Totally in love with the color and texture !

  • Reply
    Carrie Forrest
    14th May 2017 at 9:33 pm

    This looks so tasty and lovely! I’m going to have to try it soon!

  • Reply
    Healy Eats Real
    14th May 2017 at 10:16 pm

    This looks absolutely lovely and tasty!

  • Reply
    Jessica
    15th May 2017 at 1:21 am

    This is so creative and looks delicious! All those flavors combined sound amazing!

  • Reply
    Vanessa Woozley
    15th May 2017 at 12:46 pm

    I’m a huge fan of beetroot, so many health benefits and it creates the most beautifully coloured recipes. Shared because it has all my favourite ingredients, what a lovely recipe.

  • Reply
    Kari - Get Inspired Everyday!
    15th May 2017 at 2:58 pm

    This is incredibly gorgeous, and I’m always looking for a new way to include more beets in my diet!

  • Reply
    Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk)
    15th May 2017 at 11:46 pm

    So vibrant! Love this idea.

  • Leave a Reply

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