Well hello y’all!  Happy Wednesday to all of you near and far!  It’s been crazy getting back into our routine after a fun filled Labor Day Holiday weekend and the start of my favorite time of year… fall and college football season!  WAR EAGLE!  With all of the fun filled summer activities etc. etc., time has gotten away from me yet again!  Just last night, I celebrated my 100th class at my beloved Barre3 Atlanta – South Buckhead studio since they opened the end of March.  Time flies!  So in honor of my love and passion for all things barre3, I thought I would share a yummy new recipe courtesy of barre3.  This recipe had a delightful combination of flavors all while pairing up with my whole/clean nutrition goals.  It was even perfect served chilled as a salad the next day with freshly chopped kale.  Enjoy y’all!

Lemon and Herb Cauliflower Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas

(Serves 4 – recipe courtesy of barre3)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, rinsed, drained, and patted dry)
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 large head of cauliflower, cored and broken into florets (about 4 cups)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 medium cucumber, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 large avocado, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Pinch of fine sea salt and black pepper
1 Tbs. tahini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. honey
1/4 cup parsley, minced
Pinch of fine sea salt and black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Toss chickpeas with 1 Tbs. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned on all sides, about 18 minutes. Toss chickpeas halfway through cooking time.
2. Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it’s “riced” (i.e., the size of couscous) Be careful not to overprocess—you don’t want to purée the cauliflower.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 Tbs. of olive oil and toss in the cauliflower “couscous.” Let it toast slightly, stirring often, and remove from heat after about 2 minutes.
4. Combine the last seven ingredients (tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, parsley, salt, and pepper) and whisk until smooth. This works best with an immersion blender or food processor. An immersion blender or a food processor will deliver the smoothest consistency, but a hand whisk will work, too. If the dressing is too thick, add a little more olive oil.
5. In a large bowl combine the cauliflower “couscous” with roasted chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, raisins, pine nuts, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle with dressing and toss until well combined. Divide among four plates and enjoy!