The Smiling Onion

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Indian Cauliflower Steaks with Spiced Chickpeas and Spinach

September 20, 2015 By Alana Leave a Comment

Indian Chickpea Cakes

When I think of vegetables that are naturally beautiful, cauliflower definitely isn’t the first one to come to mind.  It’s oddly shaped, lumpy, blandly colored (although colorful cauliflower does exist, but not in most grocery stores), and just downright unglamorous. I mean, if asked to choose a vegetable based on beauty alone, most of us would go for the bright red, perfectly round and lusciously smooth-skinned cherry tomato, or the beautifully-tiny purple and white striped fairy tale eggplant, or possibly one of endless gorgeous varieties of microgreens. Certainly not lumpy old cauliflower.  Yet cut a cauliflower in the right way, and suddenly you have something that definitely starts to compete – maybe even outright beat – those perky, perfectly shaped, and vibrantly colored veggies in the beauty department.

The cauliflower steak, ladies and gentlemen, is the pinnacle of unexpected elegance – it’s the point in your favorite (or least favorite) teen movie when the nerdy girl lets her hair down at the homecoming dance or house party or wherever else the super original plot sets the pivotal scene, and Freddie Prinze, Jr (or whoever is playing the Freddie Prinze, Jr role) suddenly realizes what he’s been failing to see.  I mean, who would have thought cauliflower could be so elegant? And so visually striking?

And that’s where the She’s All That comparisons can end (phew!) Because while – if memory serves correctly – Freddie Prinze, Jr’s character had to work quite hard to win Laney’s heart, cauliflower steaks are super easy to prepare. They are also incredibly versatile, really fun to eat, and naturally gluten-free (grain-free too!) 

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Tagged With: Cauliflower, Chickpeas, Coconut Milk, Indian Spices, Spinach Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Entrees, Grain-Free, Indian, Peanut & Tree Nut-Free, Twists on the Classics, Vegan

Cold n’ Creamy Cauliflower Soup

July 22, 2015 By Alana 1 Comment

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

I love cold soups in the summer! I especially love the voluptuousness of silky, creamy, cold soups. Surprisingly, however, I’m not a huge fan of actually using heavy cream to make those soups creamy. While I’m far from lactose intolerant, my stomach is not super happy with me when I drink milk or eat foods with a lot of heavy cream in them. But aside from the lactose consideration, I also actually prefer the taste of a vegan creamy soup to a dairy-laden creamy soup. I’ve found that without the heaviness of the cream, the flavors really have  a chance to shine through.

This creamy cauliflower soup is no exception. When I first made this, I was genuinely shocked by how flavorful it was. I’ve always thought of cauliflower as enjoyable to a point, if a tad bland. It’s never been one of my favorite vegetables. However, after roasting and creamifying it, I began to see it in a whole new light. Cauliflower was born to star in soups like this.

[Read more…]

Tagged With: Cashews, Cauliflower, Hemp Seeds, Leeks Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Grain-Free, New American, Sides, Simple and Easy, Soups and Stews, Vegan

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Hi, I’m Alana!

Thanks for checking out my collection of gluten-free and vegetarian recipes (with many grain-free, vegan, and dairy-free options) inspired by the cuisines I like most :-)

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