Nothing is wrong with your eyes or your computer. Yes, this is PURPLE cauliflower…and yellow cauliflower.

Stunning. I know I just took your breath away. I’ll give you a moment to regroup.

And no, it doesn’t taste different. But daaaaaaaaang she is sexy. This is like cauliflower royale, people!  Be jealous. If you don’t have fun easter egg-colored cauliflower like me, well using the plain ol’ hum drum white works just as well.

I know at first glance that this salad sounds like every child’s dream come true…haha….first, it has beets in it and second, cauliflower. Torture.  But with all the fun colors, it’s like a party in your mouth.

Seriously, you know that I’m a HUGE fan of roasted cauliflower. If you have never tried cauliflower roasted…holy cow go do it now. These gems turn into popcorn-candy-goodness when roasted with just a drizzle of olive oil and seasoned with salt n’ peppa. The same goes for beets….boiling beets is gross…quit.  And for that matter, quit boiling vegetables in general. Makes them mushy and it’s wrong. Except for potato salad. I mean, it’s okay to boil potatoes that are going INTO potato salad. If you are boiling potato salad, you have serious problems.

But I digress, go roast those beets because it caramelizes those beet sugars. Yes, caramel….yummy red caramel.  Warning…I do recommend roasting beets in a separate pan to keep from making your cauliflower look like a hot bloody and beaten mess. Not recommended.

Now let’s talk about hazelnuts, also known as filberts. I’m totally digging these suckers lately. They add a bit of sweetness and crunch to this side dish. Buy them raw and roast them yourself in an oven heated to 350°F for 10 minutes. Hazelnuts are packed with folate, vitamin E, essential minerals, B-complex groups, linoleic acid, blah blah blah…their good and good for you.

Go spread your wings, try something new, and give this dish a whirl.

Roasted Cauliflower and Beet Salad with Hazelnuts

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cauliflower (2 lbs), cut into 1-inch wide florets
• 2 to 3 small to medium beets, scrubbed clean, greens removed (reserving for another use), and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup of roasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Get out two roasting pans. In one pan, place the cauliflower and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in the oven.
2. In the other pan, line with aluminum foil. Place the sliced beets on the aluminum foil in the pan. Drizzle the beets with olive oil and season with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil.
3. Roast the beets and the cauliflower for 30 to 45 minutes. Poke a beet with a fork and if the fork goes in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove both pans from the oven.
4. Add the roasted vegetables to a bowl. Top with roasted hazelnuts, feta, and sprinkle with basil. Serve warm.