Composed Cauliflower Kale Salad

Tons of good stuff in this beautiful, hearty salad. Layers of varied, delicious grains and vegetables are used to create terrific taste and texture. The warm tones are so fitting as we transition into Fall, and using kale as a base is still a thing. This is one of those salads that’s easily a meal, making it perfect to bring to your Sukkot table (the less to carry out, the better!). Add feta, goat cheese, tofu, or sliced grilled chicken, based on how your meal is shaped. As is, this salad is great as a vegan dish on its own. The turmeric spiced cauliflower placed in the middle presents beautifully, the fresh mint lends a lightness, and the dressing is basically the flavored olive oil that comes in the jar of sun dried tomatoes. Doesn’t get easier than that. Add toasted pine nuts on top for crunch.

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped kale
4 cups of chopped cauliflower
1 cup freekeh cooked to package directions
1 1/2 cups EACH halved pitted kalamata olives, julienned sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, and white beans or chickpeas (one can is fine)
Fresh, whole mint leaves
Salt, pepper
2 tsp EACH of smoked paprika and turmeric
1 tsp cumin
Reserved oil from the tomato jar
A fresh lemon at room temperature (this gives off more juice)

Oven to 415. Toss the cauliflower with the salt, pepper, and seasonings and roast until tender and golden brown. Chop and prepare rest of ingredients as the cauliflower cooks. Toss the kale and massage with a nice amount of the flavored oil and a good squeeze of one half of the lemon. Arrange on your platter. Place the rest of the ingredients in rows on top of the kale, keeping the golden cauliflower in the middle as a focal point. As you can see, I arranged everything in a pattern so there’s balance color wise. Visuals! Top with fresh mint leaves, pine nuts if desired, and drizzle with more of the flavored oil. Squeeze the other lemon half all over. I found that a very light dressing felt right since there was already a lot happening as far as the various flavors.