Spicy Manchurian Cauliflower

You can download a printable version of this recipe at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

As you might have heard by now, I’m on a diet. I made a very public New Year’s Resolution to lose 20 pounds by March 31, and with the support of my Facebook friends and readers who email me, I’m more than halfway to my goal. Yay, me.

But I’m getting kind of bored. I’ve been eating a lot of very bland food. Steamed chicken breast, steamed broccoli, steamed cabbage… Salad without dressing. Chicken without skin. Cheese without fat.

Food without flavor.

No, I’m exaggerating. It hasn’t been that bad. But I did feel like I needed to wake up my tongue this week with something different. I decided a taste trip to the East was just the answer. The Manchurian Cauliflower is my version of a spicy cauliflower dish from an Indian restaurant I visited pre-diet. The “real” stuff has some sort of breaded coating and is deep fried. This version is a lot lighter but still has a lot of flavor.

Recipe: Spicy Manchurian Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 t ground coriander
1 ½ t ground cumin
1 t pepper
½ t ground cardamom
½ t ground cloves
½ t ground cinnamon
¼ t salt
2 t vegetable oil, divided
6 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ C ketchup
1/8 – ½ t cayenne pepper
1 green onion, sliced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the cauliflower in a large Ziploc with 1 t oil. Shake to coat. Add coriander through salt to the bag. Shake to coat. Put cauliflower in a single layer on a large, ungreased baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping once.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ketchup and cayenne pepper to taste.

Mix the cauliflower with the ketchup mixture, then return to the baking sheet. Roast for another 20 minutes, flipping once. Put in a bowl and toss green onion slices on top.

Avocado-Orange Salad with Toasted Pecans

You can find a printable version of this recipe and many others at susanmallery.com/recipes.php. While you’re there, please sign up for my free Members Only area to receive when I release a new book.

As most of you know, I’m on a diet. I’m trying to lose 20 pounds by March 31, and I’ve been sharing each painful, funny step with you along the way, triumphs and failures. Sometimes, diet food feels like punishment. But… sometimes I happen across that perfect combination of healthy ingredients, flavors that complement each other perfectly, and my meal actually feels like a reward at the end of a long day of work.

This Avocado-Orange Salad with Toasted Pecans is definitely a reward. Especially because it’s so easy to make. The most difficult part is peeling the orange. I confess… I was feeling lazy, so I bought a tangelo, which is much easier to peel. (Yes, at times I am just that lazy.)

The recipe makes four salads. I made these for lunch for my husband and me, so I had to cut the recipe in half. I never used to be able to save half an avocado until the second day. Even when I put it in a Ziploc bag and tried to get all the air out, the flesh would turn brown and icky. But a while back, I invested in this avocado saver, and it really works well. As soon as I cut the avocado in half, I nest the pit in the avocado saver and then strap it in. I put the whole thing in the fridge. On Day 2, the avocado is still in pretty good shape.

Recipe: Avocado-Orange Salad with Toasted Pecans

Baby spinach or mixed salad greens
1 orange, peeled, separated into wedges, and cut into chunks
1 avocado
½ C cooked turkey breast, diced
2 green onions, sliced
½ C pecan halves
1 T seasoned rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 T olive oil

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Once it’s warm, toss the pecans in the pan and heat, stirring constantly, just until you start to smell the nutty goodness.

Divide spinach or salad greens onto four plates. Put an equal portion of orange, avocado, turkey, onions, and pecans onto each plate. Drizzle with vinegar and oil.