This quinoa salad is light and lemony and a great side dish. It’s perfect for spring or summer barbecues when you need some good vegetable side dishes.  Roasting the cauliflower brings out the nutty flavor which complements the quinoa and the toasted pine nuts.  I use white quinoa for this recipe because I like how it blends in color with the cauliflower and artichokes; the red onion and parsley offer the hints of color and flavor. The lemony dressing brings the flavors together with a nice acidic punch.

To roast the cauliflower, slice it very thin and season then roast it with olive oil and some salt and pepper. While the cauliflower is roasting, cook the quinoa and slice the artichokes, onion and parsley and add them to a large bowl big enough to hold the rest of the ingredients.  Add lemon juice, remaining oil and vinegar and seasoning to the artichokes.  Add the cooked quinoa, cauliflower and toasted pine nuts.  Mix all ingredients through. Chill for at least 2 hours so the flavors mesh.

Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Artichokes

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower sliced thinly, and into small pies

1 cup of quinoa to yield about 2 cups of cooked quinoa

2 cups water

5 tablespoons EVOO

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts sliced

¾ cup diced red onion

¾ cup chopped parsley

Juice and zest of 2 lemons (yielding about 1/3 cup of lemon juice)

½ cup pine nuts, toasted

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

Thinly slice the cauliflower, slice it very thin and into small pieces and season it with salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and roast on a foil-lined pan for 25 minutes in a 400° oven. While the cauliflower is roasting, cook the quinoa in water in a covered pot for about 15 minutes, until cooked through. Add the artichokes, onion and parsley to a large bowl big enough to hold the rest of the ingredients. Add lemon juice and zest, remaining oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and cumin to the bowl and mix through. When the quinoa is cooked add it to the bowl, then add the cauliflower, cutting the pieces as needed. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt and mix all ingredients through.  Toast the pine nuts then mix them through. Chill at least 2 hours so the flavors mesh.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish