These Indian Spiced Cauliflower, Chickpea, and Crispy Kale Tacos with Orange Tahini Sauce make the perfect meatless monday meal and can be made in less than 30 minutes. I have made them several times this winter and my whole family enjoys them.
Dinner time can be stressful with kids or it can be peaceful. Dare I say that the 5-6 o’clock hour can actually be a peaceful one when you have young kids?! Well I decided a few months back to have a plan for my 30 minutes to an hour of dinner making on the weeknights to make things less stressful. Somedays I start prepping early when one child is sleeping and I can entertain Everett, my 3 year old, with an activity or a quick show OR I wait until Josh comes home and then I start making dinner. I also plan weeknight meals to be simple ones, made in 30 minutes or less.
During this 30 or so minutes to myself I take a deep breath and enjoy the simple (non dramatic and confrontational) rhythms of cooking. During this time I don’t have to discipline or reason with anyone; there’s no hurrying (especially with easy recipes!); and its quiet (or mostly so)! I chop, I stir, I measure with peace and ease. Sometimes I’ll put on music or meditate on a truth or verse and other times I’ll just enjoy the quiet or semi-quiet moment in the day.
Dinner time is a time I look forward to now that I have it better figured out. It’s a little breath in my day. It doesn’t always work out to have this little break (sometimes Josh comes home late or my littlest doesn’t nap) but when it does happen I soak it up and am grateful to get back a few short moments of the joy I find in cooking. I’m not making 1 or 2 hour meals but at least I’m cooking and enjoying the process again.
Tips for Peaceful Dinner Making
Plan ahead – know what recipe you’re making, have ingredients on hand, and save special activities to entertain kids (play dough, coloring or a show works well for my 3 year old). Here’s a great instagram account for simple kid activities that you can throw together with things you already have around your house – Busy Toddler.
Choose Simplicity – find a quick, easy, and healthy recipe with familiar foods that you know your family will enjoy
Timing is Everything – prep or make the meal during nap time if possible. Also, make sure you’re not overdoing it with the meal you choose (my child naps for 45 min- 1 hour and my older kid can be entertained by himself for 30 minutes so I choose a 30 minute meal. I have a friend with 4 kids and she lets the three older ones each pick a 15 minute long show while she cooks; she found out what works for her so she can cook quietly for her family every day.
Get Help – If possible make dinner while your spouse is home so that you can have a peaceful time of cooking and the kids can enjoy time with their other parent.
About the Recipe
The inspiration of this recipe started with Molly Yeh’s Cauliflower Shawarma Tacos. Just like any good recipe that you make a lot, as I made this one I altered it a bit every time we made it. I simplified the original recipe and then added kale and chickpeas to make the tacos a little more hearty. I also came up with my own tahini sauce. I use blood orange juice with tahini and water for the sauce but feel free to use lemon or regular orange juice if that’s what you have. Molly’s spice blend of curry powder and garam masala is just perfect, being both sweet and slightly spicy. Even my 3 year old picks at the baking tray after all of the veggies are roasted. He especially loves the crispy kale. 30 minutes to myself and my 3 year old is eating kale, I’d call this meal a BIG WIN!
Eating in Season doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Here are some more great seasonal recipes from my favorite group of bloggers around the web! If you haven’t already saved my Seasonal Guide to your desktop and phone check it out here – February Seasonal Guide.
Beet Buckwheat Pancakes by Simple Bites
Citrus and Yogurt Fruit Pizza with Granola Crust by Completely Delicious
Spicy Cashew Spring Greens Soup by Letty’s Kitchen
Cauliflower Chickpea and Crispy Kale Tacos with Orange Tahini Sauce by Vintage Mixer
Lemon Poppy Seed Meringue Cookies by Project Domestication
Meyer Lemon & Thyme Semifreddo by Suitcase Foodist
Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Bread by Joy Food Sunshine
Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup by Foodie Crush
Tilapia with Tangerine Salsa by Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Orange and Arugula Smoothie Bowl by Floating Kitchen
Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad with Orange and Avocado by Mountain Mama Cooks
Beet and Apple Salad with Citrus Honey Yogurt by Flavor the Moments
Meyer Lemon and Honey Lassi by Kitchen Confidante
Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowls with Pesto by She Likes Food
Coconut Quinoa Bowls with Roasted Broccoli and Tahini Sauce by Cafe Johnsonia
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Soup Food for My Family
Cauliflower, Chickpea and Crispy Kale Tacos with Orange Tahini Sauce
These Indian spiced cauliflower, chickpea and kale tacos dressed with a creamy orange tahini sauce make for a perfect 30 minute meal for Meatless Mondays.
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of cauliflower, florets broken into bite sized pieces
- 3 cups kale, torn into bite sized pieces
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup oil (I use grapeseed oil)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 8 corn tortillas
- tahini sauce:
- 1/4 cup tahini*
- 2-4 tablespoons water (depending on thickness of your tahini)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (I used blood orange)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Prep veggies and chickpeas (break up cauliflower, remove kale from the stem and tear into bite sized pieces, and rinse chickpeas). Mix together the oil with seasonings then toss all of the veggies and chickpeas into the spice mixture to evenly coat. Spread out onto a baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until kale is crispy but not burned.
- While this is baking whisk together the tahini sauce (tahini, water, orange juice and salt). Heat up corn tortillas on the stove top in a skillet.
- Serve hot cauliflower and chickpea mixture in corn tortillas with the tahini sauce and a wedge or two of the orange.
Notes
Find tahini at most local grocery stores in the condiment or ethnic food isle. You can sub cashew butter or peanut butter for tahini if necessary.
3.1
https://www.thevintagemixer.com
If you make something from The Vintage Mixer I would love to hear about it! Use the tag #VintageMixerRecipe and/or #eatseasonal on Instagram to share your creations online. Please stay connected and feel free to comment with any questions you have about any of my recipes here.
Instagram: @vintagemixer
Pinterest: VintageMixer
Facebook: VintageMixer
Twitter: @slcfoodie
