Best Moroccan Salad EVER!

Once again an amazing dish from RUN FAST EAT SLOW by Shalane Flanagan!  I am so in love with this cookbook. The last time I posted a recipe from her book was this lasagna.

Summer time however is a time for lots of trips to the farmers markets, fresh veggies, and salads!  This salad is perfect for entertaining and it makes a complete meal without much fuss.

I promise your guests will never miss the meat, but you can always serve it with grilled chicken or salmon if you’d like.  My husband didn’t complain and loved the cauliflower “couscous”.  He didn’t even realize it wasn’t real couscous?.

Luckily we had leftovers since it stores well and to be honest, tastes even better the next day!

This salad is not only pretty to serve and delicious, but also incredibly good for fighting inflammation. All the Moroccan spices are incredibly good for you so no wonder Shalane included this salad in her cookbook.

What runner doesn’t deal with some inflammation now and than right?. When tossed with my Golden Salad Dressing, hands down the best Moroccan Salad ever!

MOROCCAN LENTIL SALAD WIHT CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS (adapted from RUN FAST EAT SLOW by Shalane Flanagan)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup dried green french lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated in a food processor
• 2 cups loosely packed chopped kale, stems removed
• 1/2 cup chopped crispy almonds
• 1/2 cup of Turkish apricots or dried cherries
• 1/4 cup pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon of Moroccan spice blend (see note below)
• 5 cups Cauliflower Couscous/rice or 1 cup uncooked couscous (prepared to package directions)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the lentils in a medium pot, add the salt, and cover with 2 inches of water.  Bring to boil over high heat, than reduce to the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender but not mushy, 25 minutes or so.  Drain and set aside to cool
2. Place the kale, carrots, nuts, apricots or cherries, olives and spice blend in a bowl.
3. If using Cauliflower Couscous, rice one head of cauliflower in a food processor.  Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of cumin.  Roast in 450 over for 25 minutes.
4. Let cool and add to your bowl with the lentils.  Toss to evenly combine.
5. Add about 1/2 cup of the dressing, toss and taste.  Add more dressing if needed.
6. Cover the salad and plain in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

NOTE: Make your own simple Moroccan spice blend.  Substitute the 1 tablespoon of Moroccan spice blend for 1 teaspoon of grown cumin, 1 teaspoon of tumeric, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

[reminder]Do you have the cookbook RUN FAST EAT SLOW? If so, do you have a favorite recipe from the book? Please let me know your faves! [/reminder]