It has been longer than I can remember since I posted a recipe. I could say life has been busy with travel and running and well life and that is true. Particularly during the spring and summer as I ramped up the miles for my birthday 100 at High Lonesome. There were weeks where dinner was late and had to be served immediately because I was starving and more take out Thai consumed than I care to admit ( larb tofu is so delicious . . . ). Also the idea of pausing even a minute to take a rudimentary photo of the meal was unthinkable. I’m not too sure what happened over the fall, mostly a lack of inspiration. I was able to make a dream come true by eating at Nopi and the Ottolenghi delis in London, and a lot of other delicious meals out and everything at home felt so uninspired after that. I think the real reason for the lack of posting is I’ve felt like our meals were too utilitarian, not worth a share. They generally follow a simple formula and end up in a big bowl. We start with a protein most often beans lentils or tempeh , sometimes add a whole grain like quinoa or faro, and pile on a few flavorful veggies that are sometimes cooked and sometimes raw. In the summer we lean on summer squash and tomatoes, and with fall and winter we transition to sturdier veggies. This is usually paired with a green often arugula which is Rob’s favorite. We like bold flavor and in the summer mix in plenty of fresh herbs; but in the colder months I rely on flavorful dried spices or pastes. We especially love harissa. Lastly we top it off with a creamy tahini or yoghurt sauce and sprinkle of seeds – sesame, pumpkin and hemp are our favorites.

The truth is I like our dinner formula, and no it’s not original but perhaps our little variations on a theme are helpful; and for me this flavorful bowl of spicy beans and veggies is the perfect pairing to all the cheesy spaetzle and pastries I’ve eaten over the break. So here you have it, a sultry salad of roasted cauliflower and black eyed peas to ring in the new year. Ours also made friends with a dollop of leftover herb tahini sauce that I have been making some version of for months ( sample recipe below – it livens up any grain bowl – I love it with quinoa and roasted sweet potato)

• 1 large head cauliflower, broken into bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup Black eyed peas
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 1/4 cup parsley chopped
• 1/4 cup basil chopped
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon each nigella and hemp seeds
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-4 cups arugula

1. Preheat the oven to 425
2. Toss cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20-30 minutes until golden on the edges
3. Cook black eyed peas according to package directions, we used fresh that needed 10 minutes in boiling water, frozen work just as well
4. Combine black eyed peas, cauliflower and harissa in a large bowl
5. Mix in herbs, salt and pepper to taste and seeds
6. Serve over a base of arugula or green of choice

Herb Tahini Sauce

• 1/3 – 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup greek yoghurt
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 herbs ( cilantro is my favorite)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 hot water, more if needed to reach desired texture