Moroccan Cauliflower ‘Cous Cous’ Salad

Hey everyone!

As you many know, I’m madly working on my Quirky Cooking for Gut Health program, to teach people how to cook for the GAPS Intro diet, without dying of boredom, or feeling overwhelmed by what they can and can’t have! And I just have to share another of the program recipes with you, because this one was a HIT with the family!! My sixteen year old son ate four bowls of this within an hour – he just kept coming back for more. I think you’ll love it too.

This is a deliciously tasty and easy-on-the-tummy full meal salad. If you have gut issues, you will find it hard to digest a lot of raw veggies, so this is a good salad option. You can serve it warm or cold. The recipe makes heaps, so it’s perfect to make and take to a BBQ or dinner with friends. Or you could serve it warm for a family meal, then have the leftovers cold for lunch the next day. 

This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, grain free and egg free, and also has nut free and vegan/vegetarian variations. But don’t be scared, it has HEAPS of flavour!! Enjoy. 

Note: If you’d like to know more about my gut health program, sign up to my newsletter and click the ‘Interested in Quirky Cooking for Gut Health’ box, and you’ll get some info to your inbox.

Moroccan Cauliflower 'Cous Cous' Salad

2015-12-09 15:45:09

Serves 6

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Ingredients

1. 800g cauliflower, broken into florets
2. 400g pumpkin, cut into thin slices about 2cm wide and 5mm thick
3. 1 clove garlic
4. 400g chicken thighs, cut in halves, or breast, cut in thirds
5. 1400g water
6. 100g chopped dried apricots, sulphur free
7. 100g dried sour cherries or raisins, oil free
8. juice of half a lemon
9. 1 batch Moroccan Spice Seasoning (see below)
10. 2 spring onions, green parts only, cut in thin slices
11. 100g activated almonds or pistachios, roughly chopped;
12. (or pepitas for a nut free version)
13. 1 large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
14. 1 large handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
15. a few Tbspns extra virgin olive oil, for dressing

Morrocan Spice Seasoning

1. 2 tsp fine sea salt
2. 1 tsp ground cumin
3. 1 tsp ground coriander
4. 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
5. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6. 1/2 tsp mild paprika
7. 1/4 tsp ground allspice
8. 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Thermomix Method

1. To make cauliflower 'cous cous', place cauliflower florets into Thermomix bowl and chop 10 sec/rev/speed 5. Remove to Varoma dish.
2. Add pumpkin to Varoma dish on top of 'cous cous', poke a hole in the centre for steam to get through, and set aside.
3. Place garlic clove into bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 7.
4. Add water to bowl, and insert steamer basket into bowl with chicken inside. Place Varoma into position, and cook 25 mins/Varoma/speed 1.
5. Check chicken and pumpkin are cooked through, cook a little longer if needed. Remove chicken and cut into 1-2cm cubes.
6. In a large serving bowl or on a large serving platter, gently toss together all ingredients, including spice seasoning ingredients (see note).
7. Drizzle over olive oil to taste.
8. Serve warm or cold.

Stovetop Method

1. Pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until they are a ‘rice’ consistency. Fry in a large frying pan with 2 Tbspns ghee or coconut oil, until softened. Set aside.
2. Cut chicken into cubes and place in a saucepan. Barely cover with water and cook 10 mins over medium heat.
3. Add pumpkin slices on top of chicken, cover, and cook over medium heat for 5-10 mins or until just cooked. Carefully strain off water, and reserve to use in other meals as a stock.
4. Mix together all ingredients to serve, as above. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

1. This recipe is suitable for GAPS Intro stage 6 and Full GAPS, as well as the Paleo diet.
2. For a vegan/vegetarian version, use chick peas instead of the chicken, and just add to the salad at the end.
3. I’ve separated the Moroccan Spice Seasoning recipe for you so that you can use as much or as little as you like – I prefer to add it all. If you are on GAPS and haven’t added some of these spices in yet, only add in the ones you know you can handle.
4. Make a batch of this spice mix to use in other recipes if you’d like. For example, it’s delicious as a spice rub to coat lamb, chicken, beef or pork before roasting, or to sprinkle over lamb chops before grilling.

Storage

1. Store for up to 3 days in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.
2. If you need to make a smaller amount, recipe can be halved.

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