Tikka Masala Cauliflower and Chickpeas. Vegan. GF.

I had found this wonderful spice store at the Borough Market in London. I love picking up local goodies that are food-related as souvenirs v. the classic tee shirt. They always serve as a nice memory-evolking moment when I use them.

Spice Mountain had so many wonderful spices and herbs to smell and sample. I purchased two – Tikka Masala for my love of Indian food and some lemon salt which I felt would be divine on avocado – and I was so right. Special treats like this also pack nicely and you don’t need to worry about anything breaking during your journey.

Today was a rest day from working out so I went grocery shopping and picked up some lovely organic cauliflower. I immediately thought of this spice and knew I would pair it up with protein-packed chickpeas. I also used some of my garlic olive oil and I have to say that between my husband, youngest and myself – we pretty much devoured the entire baking sheet before dinner. Oops.

So I realize you don’t have this spice mixture in your arsenal of spices so I wanted to give you a recipe that you can make your own and then I’ll share this super simple recipe you can prepare and then immediately devour. Would serve as a wonderful side dish or main for vegans.

Spice mixture:

Blend together in an airtight container the following…

5 teaspoons of garlic powder
5 teaspoons of ground cumin
5 teaspoons of coriander
3 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
2 teaspoons of chili powder
Pinch salt

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower washed and cut into florets
1 can of garbanzo beans aka chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Garlic olive oil or regular olive oil
Optional: 3 garlic cloves
Optional: fresh parsley topping

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and spray or drizzle the pan with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Place your cauliflower, beans and garlic in a bowl. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of your Tikki Masala spice mixture. Toss to coat well. Then pour the mixture out onto your prepared pan and evenly distribute. Bake for 10 minutes then toss. Bake for an additional 12 minutes or until golden. Top with parsley and salt if needed. Serve with rice, your favorite protein or devour.

This would also work on just chickpeas for a snack. Use two cans of drained beans – follow the recipe and bake until crunchy.