Cuban Cauliflower!

 This hummus and pepper topped cauliflower shines in a bed of freshly-grated carrot salad. The steamed cauliflower is iced like a cake. The nutritious protein-rich chick pea, sunflower seed and hemp heart topping is full of oven roasted sweet peppers, green onions, garlic, and the aromatic spices of Cuban cuisine. Served with a tangy fresh carrot salad, this interesting twist on a favorite winter vegetable is sure to please. My lunch guest said it was, "awesome!" I thought so, too. 

You'll Need: 

For the cauliflower: 1 cauliflower; 1 cup assorted sweet red, orange and yellow peppers, chopped; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 2 cloves garlic; 3 green onions; 1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds; 1 cup hummus; 1/4 cup hemp hearts; 2 teaspoons cumin powder;  1 teaspoon Cuban oregano; 1 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/4 cayenne pepper.

For the carrot salad: 2 large carrots, grated; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives; 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon Cuban oregano; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Method: Soak sunflower seeds for 2 hours; drain and set aside to air dry. 
Remove leaves and stalk from cauliflower. Steam until tender-crisp. Keep warm. 
Wash and chop peppers into bite-size pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sea salt. Place in a shallow baking dish, a grill until skin begins to bubble. Remove from oven.

Slice green onions in thin pieces, and finely dice garlic. Add to pepper mixture in baking dish.

Add sunflower seeds, reserving 1 teaspoon for garnish, and return dish to oven. Grill under broiler, stirring once, until seeds begin to lightly brown.

Stir spices and water into hummus, blending well. Add the roasted pepper mixture, reserving 2 teaspoons for garnish. Stir in hemp hearts, reserving 1 teaspoon hemp hearts for garnish.

Place cauliflower in the center of a serving platter. Using a spatula, ice cauliflower with hummus-pepper mixture. Mix chopped chives, reserved sunflower seeds and hemp hearts together with a pinch of salt for garnish.

Grate carrots and toss with brown rice vinegar, cumin, Cuban oregano and sea salt. Place a small amount of carrot salad on top of cauliflower, and circle the rest around the cauliflower. Place reserved pepper mixture on top the carrot salad on the cauliflower. Sprinkle seed and hemp heart garnish on top of roasted pepper garnish, and over the carrot salad ring.

To Serve: Cut the cauliflower into thick slices, and serve alongside a generous portion of carrot salad. Enjoy with toasted bread or lightly dressed greens. The Cuban Cauliflower can also be cut into wedges, and served as nutritious and intriguing side-dish.

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