Freekeh salad with roasted cauliflower and green olives

Delight in the blend of nutty Freekeh, tender roasted cauliflower, and briny green olives in this flavorful salad. Perfect for a healthy and satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freekeh
• 2 1/2 cups water
• salt
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 cup Italian green olives (such as Cerignola), pitted and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley or cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Examine the freekeh carefully to eliminate any dirt or foreign particles. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and drain. Transfer the freekeh to a saucepan along with water, a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon of oil. Bring it to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook for approximately 45 minutes until the water is absorbed, and the grains become soft. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes covered. Afterwards, uncover and allow it to cool down.
2. While the freekeh is cooking, preheat the oven to 200 °C. Coat the cauliflower with a sufficient amount of oil and spread it evenly on a baking sheet. Season with cumin, coriander, a generous pinch of salt, and freshly ground pepper. Roast for about 25 to 30 minutes until the cauliflower becomes tender and develops a golden brown color in some areas. Flip it over once during the cooking process.
3. Combine the roasted cauliflower, olives, cooled freekeh, and parsley (or cilantro) in a large bowl. Grate the zest of a washed and dried lemon using a fine grater or microplane zester. Squeeze the lemon to extract the juice. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (adjust to taste), along with the lemon zest to the freekeh mixture. Toss everything together. Season with additional salt and pepper as required. This salad can be enjoyed while slightly warm or at room temperature.

Summary:

• Calories: 904 kcal
• Fat: 33 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbs: 144 g
• Potassium: 2396 mg
• Magnesium: 338 mg