A Letter to My Vegan Friends

In the spirit of “use it up” I found myself at lunch, eye balling half a head of cauliflower. In dollar terms it didn’t amount to much, but I’m still trying to find that perfect balance of using the food I buy. Plus it forces me (us) to sometimes eat vegetables that otherwise might be wasted. And I sort of like the challenge of matching recipe to whatever’s available, as opposed to the luxury of starting fresh and whole all the time. For the record, having re-read what I just wrote, I know for a fact, my 25 year old self wouldn’t recognize my not 25 year old self. Who is this person who feels compelled to use up cauliflower?!

Nevertheless, my weekday ode to vegans begins with half a head of cauliflower. The recipe can be scaled up…down won’t make too much sense. I hope you like curry…this is a down and dirty version, but tasty. Scale the seasonings to your personality.

Cauliflower & Chickpea curry

½ medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tablespoons veggie oil or ghee (clarified butter, non-vegan version)

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon turmeric

Pinch of cayenne or to taste

½ head cauliflower, bite size pieces

1 can or jar chickpeas, drained & rinsed

Small handful of parsley, stems removed and chopped (or spinach!)

Salt to taste

Add oil to large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until translucent. Add garlic, cook a minute or two. Add all of the spices. Toss in the cauliflower and coat with oil and spices. Add the chickpeas and ½ cup of water. Stir and put a lid on the pot for 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium low. The water may need adjusting, there should be a little sauce. When cauliflower is soft, stir in parsley. Serve by itself or over rice.

Eat, enjoy – B

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