The sharp, cold air of winter is beginning to give way to the refreshing and rejuvenating air of spring here in Montréal; as I sit down to write this recipe I can peer out into what feels like the first hint of warmer months to come. The recipe today lines up well with spring time, as it is a light & fresh room temperature salad with crisp fennel. I actually wrote this recipe in the depths of winter, but have been so busy I have not been able to type it up until now. While the flow of recipes has slowed to a trickle, the cooking has not. As I traverse a period of life where there are lots of large personal milestones going on, I yearn for the moment when I will be able to spend more time writing recipes, but alas that time shall come and I will reminisce on this period with rose tinted glass — as it usually goes in life. 

The inspiration for this recipe was twofold; first I felt as though it had been too long since I cooked with chickpeas so I wanted to bring those back into the fold. Additionally, I have never been the biggest fan of fennel, but recently integrated into a salad and found it a nice crunchy balance, so I wanted to incorporate that as well. To tie these together we add in some roasted cauliflower and a turmeric golden milk inspired sauce. Toss this together quickly as a dinner or meal-prep it as a week of lunches; it will keep well in the fridge. As we look forward to longer days, brighter evenings and a spring full of possibility, I hope this dish makes its way into your kitchen!

Active time: 25 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients

Chickpeas

• 3 cans(15oz) of chickpeas, drained (or 300g dry chickpeas cooked)
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• Olive oil

Cauliflower

• 1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• Olive oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper

The Rest

• ⅓ cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp mayo
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Dash of cloves
• 1 head fennel, diced
• 150g grated carrots
• 3 persian cucumbers, diced
• ¾ cup raw walnuts, chopped
• ⅓ cup raisins
• Fresh chopped parsley, to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425F. Line two large baking sheets. In one, add chickpeas, cumin, cayenne, salt and olive oil and toss. In the other,  add the cauliflower tossed with the turmeric, salt, olive oil and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 20-23 minutes agitating once at the halfway point. Set aside when done. 
2. In a small bowl, make the sauce: whisk together the coconut milk, mayo, lemon juice, honey, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves. 
3. In a large bowl, combine the grated carrots, cucumbers, walnuts and raisins. Once the cauliflower and chickpeas are done and slightly cooled add those as well. Add in the sauce and toss. Add fresh parsley to taste. Check for salt levels at this point and adjust accordingly. Serve & enjoy at room temperature!