This vibrant cauliflower-couscous salad is tailor-made for hot summer days: it relies on a quick pulse in the food processor and a five-minute blanch for the edamame, so your stove barely breaks a sweat. Each forkful delivers a spectrum of nutrients—vitamin C from citrus and bell pepper, cancer-fighting sulforaphane from raw cauliflower, heart-healthy omega-3s from flaxseed oil, and a pop of antioxidants from pomegranate seeds. Simple to assemble, naturally gluten-free, and bursting with color, it arrives at the table looking as refreshing as it tastes. Enjoy!
Cauliflower ‘Couscous’ Salad
Enjoy this vibrant cauliflower-couscous salad is tailor-made for hot summer days: it relies on a quick pulse in the food processor and a five-minute blanch for the edamame, so your stove barely breaks a sweat.
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower raw
- 400 g frozen edamame beans or cooked and drained chickpeas
- 1 big orange or 2 small ones
- 1/2 big cucumber
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp flaxseed oil or olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 tbsp pomegranate vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Wash the cauliflower, remove the leaves, and cut it into smaller pieces. Place half of the pieces in a food processor—if you add the whole head at once, the texture won’t be even.
- Pulse until it resembles couscous. Transfer the “cauliflower couscous” to a large mixing bowl and repeat with the remaining half.
- In a small saucepan, cook the frozen edamame in a little salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain well and let cool. (Alternatively, use cooked and drained chickpeas.)
- Peel the orange, wash the cucumber, and remove the seeds and stem from the bell pepper. Cut everything into 1–2 cm pieces and add to the bowl with the cauliflower.
- In a small glass, whisk together flaxseed oil, pomegranate (or apple) vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed.
- Peel the avocado, remove the pit, and cut the flesh into bite-sized cubes. Remove the peel from the pomegranate and separate the seeds. Add the avocado cubes and pomegranate seeds to the salad and fold in gently to avoid crushing them.
- Serve chilled as a side salad or a light main course. The salad keeps well in the refridgirator and can be enjoyed the next day.