If you would have told me five years ago that cauliflower would become a favorite vegetable, I would have thought, “no way!” Cauliflower was always the last vegetable I would eat in the pre-prepared vegetable trays from the grocery store. And it had to be submerged in ranch dressing.

Not anymore.

Cauliflower has had a makeover in the past few years and now I am loving cauliflower 2.0. It is a healthy, delicious substitute for all of our favorite indulgent carb and starch filled dishes. I love replacing potatoes and rice in dishes to decrease the guilt and increase the fiber.

After a long run a couple weeks ago I needed a light snack. I came across cauliflower tabbouleh and it has been the perfect mid-day snack and side dish with dinner. It’s filling but not uncomfortably so.

Best of all, cauliflower tabbouleh is extremely healthy. Vegetables, herbs, olive oil and a sprinkling of feta cheese make this dish guilt-free and easily consumable!

Cauliflower tabbouleh can be prepared in two ways:  with cauliflower florets finely diced in a food processor or store bought “cauliflower rice”. The latter is definitely easier. But the texture of fresh cauliflower is much smoother.

There are several variations on traditional tabbouleh so don’t be afraid to get a little creative. The cauliflower feta recipe below is adaptable. Spice it up with minced jalapeño. Replace the salt with soy sauce for an Asian twist. Increase the lemon juice for more citrus. Customize tabbouleh to your liking for the perfect warm weather snack!

Cauliflower Feta Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of cauliflower or 12 oz refrigerated cauliflower rice
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

• If using a cauliflower head: cut cauliflower into florets and place into food processor in small batches. Pulse cauliflower until it resembles rice.
• Place cauliflower into a large mixing bowl. Add vegetables, garlic and herbs to cauliflower. Mix thoroughly.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together lemon juice, olive oil and vinegar. Pour over cauliflower mixture, stirring gently.
• Carefully mix in feta cheese. Season with salt and peppers, to taste.
• Serve immediately or store in air-tight container in refrigerator to chill for a few hours prior to serving.

Yield:  approximately 6 servings

Live your life joyfully so,

Ashley