Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini

A special roasted cauliflower inspired by Sara Forte’s new cookbook. It’s wildly delicious – loaded with herbs, dates, nuts, roasted red onions and tossed with a tahini dressing.

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I’ve roasted cauliflower a thousand different ways, but this version, from Around Our Table by Sara Forte, quickly became a weeknight staple after the first time I tried it. A big head of cauliflower is cut into florets that are tossed with a spiced oil and roasted in a hot oven. Red onions and bits of dates are introduced along the way and the whole situation is tossed with lots of herbs, arugula, pine nuts, sesame seeds, and a creamy tahini dressing. It’s wildly delicious.roasted cauliflower on a platter with tahini glaze, mint, herbs, dates and more

Many of you know Sara from her o.g. food blog Sprouted Kitchen. Or maybe you’re a member of the SK Cooking Club? She’s beloved for good reason, creating wholesome, doable, family-friendly recipes while keeping it real. I told her I’d be gifting the book to all the busy parents in my life, and meant it. Here’s a look at her new book, a few of the beautiful spreads, etc.

Around Our table cookbook
Her husband Hugh did all the photography for the book. You’ll recognize his style from their beautiful site. I’ve always loved how fresh, natural, and unfussed their food always looks. Their projects always have family photos paced throughout. I remember (years ago) Sara told me, over lunch one day, that she always wanted her home to be the landing pad for her kids and their friends. That always stuck with me, a wonderful, genuine aspiration. 
Title page of Sprouted Kitchen Around Our table cookbook
table of Contents pages from Around Our table cookbook by Sara Forte Sprouted Kitchen
You can see a couple examples of the gorgeous photo spreads below. And the table of contents above.
Beautiful photo spread example from Sprouted Kitchen Around Our Table cookbookBeautiful photo spread example from Sprouted Kitchen Around Our Table cookbook

Roasted Cauliflower: Part of An Impromptu Dinner Menu

This roasted cauliflower anchored a fantastic (and simple to throw together) dinner spread when Wayne’s parents visited a couple weeks back. I made the roasted cauliflower (recipe below) the day prior and then threw together a few other easy wins for dinner the next night. Aside from the cauliflower, no component took more than five minutes of active time to make, and there wasn’t a bit left for leftovers in the end!

  • A Big Pile of Roasted Potatoes: I cut little potatoes in half, tossed them in a bit of olive oil and roasted them in a hot oven until tender. Whisked a bit of spicy bomba chile paste into some olive oil, and drizzled that over the potatoes on a big plate. Finished with lots of toasted sesame seeds and slivered basil.
  • Mustard Lentils: I covered (dried) French lentils with about 3/4-inch of water and simmered until the lentils were very tender. Then, the cooked lentils were tossed with a generous dollop (2+ tablespoons) of strong French mustard and a couple glugs of Camino red wine vinegar, and a splash of good olive oil. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Topped with canned, roasted cherry tomatoes (in oil), and slivered basil.
  • Hard-Boiled Eggs: I split each egg in half, sprinkled with spices( I used za’atar, but use any fave savory spice blend). Salt to taste. Drizzle with olive oil.
  • Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini: Recipe below. Serve at room temperature.

roasted cauliflower on a platter with tahini glaze, mint, herbs, dates and more

More Cauliflower Recipes

 

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Broccoli Salad

This broccoli salad is the perfect creamy, crunchy, rich, and flavorful side to go with any meal. It’s my new go-to for parties!

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It’s nearly grilling season, and I need a reliable side dish to bring to parties, family reunions, and barbecues. This broccoli salad is the perfect creamy, crunchy, rich, and flavorful side to go with any meal. It has a great balance of sweet and tangy flavors, and the texture is unbeatable. It’s a fact that if you add bacon to any vegetable dish, even the most discerning meat eaters will give it a try. Baby steps, right?! I love making sure my loved ones eat their vegetables!

overhead view of broccoli salad in a white bowl.

What Is Broccoli Salad?

Broccoli salad is a classic side dish made from broccoli florets tossed with cheddar cheese, raisins, bacon, walnuts, and red onion, coated in a creamy and tangy dressing. This salad has a wonderful balance of flavors and textures and is so versatile!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make broccoli salad:

  • Broccoli: Has an earthy and slightly sweet, slightly bitter flavor, as well as a delightful crunch!
  • Cheddar Cheese: Adds a creamy and salty component to the salad.
  • Raisins: Add a pop of sweet and fruity flavor.
  • Bacon: Adds a great savory and umami flavor. You’ll need 6 strips of cooked bacon. Vegetarian? No problem, just leave it out. Sometimes I put the bacon on the side for gatherings where there might be varied dietary restrictions.
  • Walnuts: Add a nutty flavor and delicious crunch.
  • Red Onion: Adds a bit of bite to the recipe and a wonderful crunchy texture, creating a great contrast to the sweet and chewy raisins.
  • Mayo: Adds richness and creaminess to the dressing.
  • Greek Yogurt: Makes the dressing extra creamy and tangy with fewer calories and fat than sour cream. I highly recommend Greek yogurt over plain yogurt or sour cream for its thicker, creamy texture.
  • White Vinegar: Adds a refreshing brightness and tanginess to the dressing to balance the richness.
  • Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance out the vinegar.
  • Salt and Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the salad.

Should I Blanch The Broccoli?

In testing, I preferred the final texture of raw broccoli over blanched, but you certainly can blanch the broccoli if you prefer. The blanching process takes out some of the natural bitter flavor from the broccoli; simply drop the florets in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute, then quickly shock in a bowl of ice water. Instead, I opted to simply rinse my broccoli florets in hot water to make them extra bright green and make sure they were nice and clean.

Top Tip

To keep your broccoli salad from turning out watery, make sure to thoroughly dry the florets. The salt in the dressing will naturally draw out some of the moisture from the veggies, so making sure they are dry after washing them is an important step! I like to spread them out on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat them dry with another towel laid on top while I prep the rest of my ingredients.

What To Serve with Broccoli Salad

Broccoli salad is such a fresh and crunchy dish with a ton of flavor, so I suggest pairing it with simple proteins, like air fryer chicken breast or glazed pork chops.

close up of broccoli salad on a white plate.
overhead view of broccoli salad in a white bowl.
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Broccoli Salad

This broccoli salad is the perfect creamy, crunchy, rich, and flavorful side to go with any meal. It's my new go-to for potlucks!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Total Cost ($5.79 recipe / $0.96 serving)
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 (about 1 cup each)
Calories 305kcal

Ingredients

Broccoli Salad

  • 1 large broccoli crown, separated into florets (about 4 cups) $1.10
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese $1.24
  • 1/4 cup raisins $0.39
  • 6 strips bacon $0.90
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, crushed $0.80
  • 1/4 red onion, diced into small pieces $0.21

Broccoli Salad Dressing

  • 1/2 cup mayo $0.75
  • 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt $0.21
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar $0.04
  • 1 Tbsp sugar $0.05
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt $0.05
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper $0.05

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon until crispy. Let cool on clean paper towel-lined plate. Chop into bite sized bits and set aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo, Greek yogurt, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set dressing aside.
  • Cut broccoli into florets, shred the cheddar cheese, gather raisins, crumble bacon, crush walnuts, and dice red onion.
  • Combine salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.
  • Pour the dressing over broccoli salad and toss together until completely coated. Serve immediately, or let it marinate and get extra yummy in the fridge for up to 5 days!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 477mg | Fiber: 1g
overhead view of broccoli salad in a white bowl.

how to make Broccoli Salad – step by step photos

ingredients for salad dressing in a white bowl.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

creamy dressing in a white bowl.

Whisk together and set dressing aside.

overhead view of ingredients for broccoli salad on a wooden cutting board.

Cut 1 large crown of broccoli into florets, shred 1 cup of cheddar cheese, gather 1/4 cup of raisins, crumble 6 strips of crispy bacon, crush 1/4 cup walnuts, and dice 1/4 of a red onion.

ingredients for broccoli salad in a white bowl.

Combine salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

broccoli salad in a white bowl.

Pour the dressing over broccoli salad and toss together until completely coated. Serve immediately, or let it marinate and get extra yummy in the fridge for up to 5 days!

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25 Mother’s Day Lunch Ideas

It’s almost here- May brings Mother’s Day! And whether you have a mom, bonus-mom, grandmom, aunt-mom, friend who acts like a mom, or even a dad who was your mom, it’s time to celebrate and make Mother’s Day Meal Planning memorab…

It’s almost here- May brings Mother’s Day! And whether you have a mom, bonus-mom, grandmom, aunt-mom, friend who acts like a mom, or even a dad who was your mom, it’s time to celebrate and make Mother’s Day Meal Planning memorable and delicious. We’re here to celebrate all the special relationships that make this day...

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Old Fashioned Fruit Salad

Summer is upon us, and the time for fresh summer fruit salad side dishes is finally here! Sweet, delicious, and oh-so-easy, this old-fashioned fruit salad made with sliced fresh fruits and canned cherry pie filling is just like my grandma used to make …

Summer is upon us, and the time for fresh summer fruit salad side dishes is finally here! Sweet, delicious, and oh-so-easy, this old-fashioned fruit salad made with sliced fresh fruits and canned cherry pie filling is just like my grandma used to make me during summer break. With the sweet cherry glaze enveloping all the...

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Fresh Berry Fruit Salad

Summer is coming, and with that comes all the poolside, BBQ, and beach get-togethers. Whether you are preparing for your kids to be home for summer vacation or getting ready for the first holiday of the season (Mother’s Day!), this mixed berry sa…

Summer is coming, and with that comes all the poolside, BBQ, and beach get-togethers. Whether you are preparing for your kids to be home for summer vacation or getting ready for the first holiday of the season (Mother’s Day!), this mixed berry salad is a family favorite. Prep Dressing First Before starting the fruit salad,...

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Pad Thai at Home

Everyone should have an easy sauce and noodles pad Thai recipe to whip up at home. Sweet, sour, and savory, pad thai is great paired with other Asian-influenced recipes, like spiral cucumber salad. This dish is commonly made with shrimp or chicken (as …

Everyone should have an easy sauce and noodles pad Thai recipe to whip up at home. Sweet, sour, and savory, pad thai is great paired with other Asian-influenced recipes, like spiral cucumber salad. This dish is commonly made with shrimp or chicken (as seen here) and can be a stand-alone dinner dish or a hearty...

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Cucumber Pepper Salad

Brighten up your summer meals with this refreshing cucumber pepper salad! Packed with crisp cucumbers and colorful bell peppers, it’s the perfect dish to bring the most beautiful, vibrant summer colors to the bowl. Tangy ginger vinaigrette gives …

Brighten up your summer meals with this refreshing cucumber pepper salad! Packed with crisp cucumbers and colorful bell peppers, it’s the perfect dish to bring the most beautiful, vibrant summer colors to the bowl. Tangy ginger vinaigrette gives this salad the perfect bite, complementing the light sweetness of the vegetables. This salad recipe is sure...

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Air Fryer Potatoes

Air fryer potatoes are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and made for dipping. They’re the perfect side for any meal!

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Potatoes, or “spuds” as my Irish brother-in-law affectionately calls them, are truly a favorite for just about everyone. Potatoes can be cooked 1,000 ways and they always steal the show! These air fryer potatoes are proof of that. Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, they’re like mini baked potatoes. They are seriously delicious dipped in ketchup, mayo, or Comeback Sauce. This air fryer potato recipe is great to use with whatever potatoes you have on hand, making it the perfect recipe for fridge clean out day.

air fryer potatoes in a bowl with ketchup.

Why Make Potatoes in the Air Fryer?

Listen, we love roasted potatoes. They’re simple and delicious. But sometimes you need potatoes right now, and roasting just isn’t quick enough. Using an air fryer, these potatoes are roasted to perfection in less than half the time. So, the next time you have a potato emergency, this air fryer potato recipe is here for you. You can thank us later!

Ingredients for Air Fryer Potatoes

Here’s what you’ll need to make air fryer potatoes:

  • Potatoes: You can use any variety of mini potatoes. We found some tri-color potatoes on sale, so we used those!
  • Oil: Helps keep the potatoes moist as they cook and helps them get nice and crispy on the outside. We used olive oil, but you could also use vegetable or canola oil.
  • Spices: A combination of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper creates a smoky and savory flavor and the paprika adds a pop of color.
  • Fresh Parsley: Adds a little bit of greenery and freshness.

Should I Soak the Potatoes?

We did not do this, but cutting and soaking potatoes in cold water releases some of the starches and can make the potatoes crispier! Our potatoes were more like tiny bites of the perfect baked potato!

What Else Can I Put On Air Fryer Potatoes?

We love the seasoning mix listed in the recipe below, but the sky is the limit! Here are some other ways you can season your air fryer potatoes:

What To Serve With Air Fryer Potatoes

These air fryer potatoes are a great side dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They go great with dishes like Breakfast FrittatasAir Fryer Bacon, Homemade Meatloaf, or Baked Chicken Drumsticks.

Or, if you want to just add some dip and serve them as a snack, try dipping them in Comeback SauceLemon Dill Tahini DressingChimichurri Sauce, or Homemade Ranch Dressing.

seasoned potatoes in an air fryer basket with herbs.
fork dipping an air fryer potato into ketchup.
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Air Fryer Potatoes

Air fryer potatoes are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and made for dipping. They're the perfect side for any meal!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Total Cost $3.60 recipe / $0.90 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 106kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes. Wash and quarter the baby potatoes.
  • Add the potatoes to a large bowl. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Cook for 15 minutes in the air fryer, until golden brown with crispy edges, stopping halfway through to shake.
  • Garnish with minced parsley and additional salt and pepper, if needed.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 17mg | Fiber: 3g
seasoned potatoes in a bowl with herbs.

how to make Air Fryer Potatoes – step by step photos

cutting tricolored potatoes on a bamboo cutting board.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes. Quarter 1 lb. of baby potatoes.

seasoned potato wedges in a white bowl.

Add the potatoes to a large bowl. Toss the quartered baby potatoes with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

seasoned potatoes in an air fryer basket.

Cook for 15 minutes in the air fryer, until golden brown with crispy edges, stopping halfway through to shake. Garnish with 1 tsp minced fresh parsley and additional salt and pepper, if needed.

fork dipping an air fryer potato into ketchup.

These air fryer potatoes are the ultimate crispy side dish!

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Super Orange Citrus Rice

This incredible citrus rice is flooded with orange juice, flecked with celery and carrots, and boosted with a packet of French onion dip mix.

Continue reading Super Orange Citrus Rice on 101 Cookbooks

This incredible citrus rice is flooded with orange juice, flecked with celery and carrots, and boosted with a packet of French onion dip mix. It’s beautiful, delicious, and if you’re in a rice or grain rut, it’s just the thing to get you out of it. This Super Orange Citrus Rice is also the perfect base for a rice bowl, and I love using leftovers the next day for a citrusy-y take on fried rice.

Super Orange Citrus Rice in a Serving Bowl
I cook rice a couple times a week. Half the time I’ll make it straight and simple – water, rice, and a bit of salt. The other times I like to mix it up with different broths, infusions, and favorite flavors, ingredients and textures. A lot of you know how much I love a good rice situation – I included a whole section of ideas in the back of Super Natural Simple. I also constantly revisit Bryant Terry’s Amazing Green Rice, this Congee with Brown Rice and Turmeric, and this herby rice situation. Recently, this super orange citrus rice has been in high-rotation. Here are the details!Super Orange Citrus Rice in a Kitchen on a Counter

Citrus Rice Inspiration

One of the things I love about flea markets, estate and yard sales is finding and browsing old cookbooks. I come across a lot of community cookbooks, and always have my eyes peeled for books that are special, unusual, and/or regionally specific. Today’s recipe was inspired by a cookbook I picked up a few years ago, published by Sunkist in 1968. It is cover-to-cover recipes that are citrus inspired – note the sub-title: lemons, tangerines – citrus treasures of the west – oranges, grapefruits. 

A few of the recipes caught my attention. In particular, there is an orange rice recipe that calls for “instant minced onions.” I imagined that would add a nice seasoning element to a citrus rice. I tend to keep French onion soup mix on hand to make the French Onion Strata in Super Natural Simple, and have dehydrated onions in my pantry as well.  Today’s recipe evolved from there. I love the way the onion helps counter the sweetness of the orange juice, keeping the whole dish squarely in the savory camp.
Super Orange Citrus Rice Surrounded by Plates and Ready to Eat
Super Orange Citrus Rice Surrounded by Plates and Ready to Eat

What Kind of Rice to Use?

I’ve been using brown basmati rice for this recipe. Short grain brown rice should also work, you might need to adjust the cooking time a bit though. I’ve tested a blend of half brown basmati with half white basmati and it wasn’t great. Unsurprisingly, the white grains really blew out and over cooked while the brown rice grains finished cooking.

The general rule of thumb here is yes, you can likely use your favorite rice, whatever it is. You should simply adjust the amount of liquid and cooking time according to whatever you typically use for 2 cups of rice. So, for example, if you’re using 2 cups of white rice, scale back the orange juice and water called for in the recipe from 4 cups to 3 cups (or 3 1/4 cups total liquid). Hope that makes sense. It’s a long way of saying you can likely make this with success with whatever rice you have on hand.

Super Orange Citrus Rice Surrounded by Plates and Ready to Eat

Make Citrus Rice into a Meal

You can easily add another hearty element to this rice and make a one bowl meal. You see the citrus rice pictured here topped with a bit of simply marinated, baked tofu. It’s just slabs of thinly sliced extra-firm tofu tossed in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon wasabi paste, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce and baked until golden in a 375F oven. Wasabi paste can be tricky to come by, and when I’m out of it I’ll substitute a favorite curry paste or tobanjan paste. Throw some broccoli or cauliflower florets into the oven with the tofu for some added veg. And, you should absolutely use leftovers in this Herbed Rice Salad with Peanuts!

Alternately, I like to make a thin omelette with an egg or two, slice it thinly, and use that in place of the tofu. And before I forget, if your celery is extra leafy, be sure to make your own celery salt! It’s really wonderful on this rice, but also on all sorts of soups and salads.

Leftover Ideas

This recipe makes a good amount of citrus rice, and we often have leftovers. It’s SO good the next day, perfect for a quick fried rice for lunch, or easy dinner. The citrus element is really fantastic and unexpected if you aren’t in the know. 

If you’re looking for more rice recipes I have so many ideas. Laugh/cry. Be sure to try this green rice, my favorite mushroom casserole,  and this vegetarian take on paellaI also love cooking with quinoa, cooking with lentils. Enjoy! -h

More Citrus Recipes

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