Every New Yorker knows that winter here lasts from November to nearly April – and that’s if we’re lucky! It’s now March and after a frigid winter, I’ve gained an obsession for roasting veggies. It’s one of my all-time favorite and easiest ways to cook. All you have to do is pop the vegetables in the oven and plus side is that it also warms up the apartment. For me, the waiting game is the hardest part!
I could eat roasted cauliflower alone, nearly half a head myself. But to make this simple dish into a meal, I decided to incorporate chickpeas to make the dish heartier. Chickpeas are a great source of vegetarian protein and fiber, so it really helps to create a more balanced meal. When Peter and I first started dating, he had absolutely no clue what vegetarian food was. He hesitated taking me out to dinner and would always suggest salads. And let me tell you, if it’s one thing that vegetarians hate, it’s when people think we only eat salads! So, to show him what a hearty vegetarian meal could be (aka to prove to him that I do NOT only eat salads!) I made roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, covered in a creamy dijon dressing.
Let me be clear. Peter does not eat cauliflower on the reg and the extent of him eating chickpeas is when I sneak hummus into his breakfast wrap. So, you wanna know the trick to getting your non-veggie loving partner to try your new dish? Wait until they're really hungry haha. Luckily, the smell of the warm oven was enough to lure him into the kitchen.
When it came down to the taste test, I was right (as always) and Peter loved this dish! It was:
Creamy
Tender
Crunchy
Hearty
Flavorful
Serve it as a side dish or let it shine on it’s own. If you make this, I’d love to see! Take a picture and tag your photo with #dowhatiulove on Instagram.
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Dijon Dressing
INGREDIENTS
1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
1 (15oz) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp pepper
Dressing
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cauliflower florets onto baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.
Place chickpeas and panko breadcrumbs on the second baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast cauliflower for 40 minutes and chickpeas for 25 minutes, flipping once midway.
While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together both mustards, olive oil, vinegar, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. When the vegetables are ready, remove them from the oven and transfer everything into one large bowl. Mix in dressing, season to taste, and garnish with additional parsley.
