The Spicy Spatula

It’s technically autumn now which means that we can all lean into our favorite parts of the season. If you’re a pumkin spice-a-holic, do you baby girl. If you love nothing more than gingerbread desserts, have at it! Are soups your jam? Break out your favorite stock pot and fill your belly!

Tis the season for sweaters, mulled wine and pumpkin everything! At least as far as I’m concerned.

Another great thing about the subtle shift in the weather? I can finally start making something other than salad and sheet pan vegan meals! Not that I don’t love them, because I do, but it’s nice to break the pattern and get used to something new. Again.

Other than pumpkin and squash, one of the things that screams fall to me is…cauliflower. I know, I know, it’s in season year round pretty much everywhere in the world these days but this is more of an Indian summer type of vegan recipe. It’s easy, low maintenance and best of all? It tastes like fall.

The ingredient list is pretty simple with the highlights being eggplant, fresh dill, cauliflower and hazelnuts.

What?

Yep, you heard me. Hazelnuts.

You can use any spice blend you desire from middle eastern, Indian, Cajun or even Mediterranean if you like. It’s a versatile dish that can accompany any cuisine you’re in the mood for, just lean heavy on your herbs & spices to make it work.

So, let’s make this easy vegan dinner recipe!

Kitchen Tools;

*Baking sheets or Parchment paper
*Cutting board
*Kitchen knife

Ingredients:

*Cauliflower, chopped
*Eggplant
*Fresh dill, chopped
*1 lemon, juiced & zested
*Bitter beans
*Ground ginger & cumin
*Smoky paprika
*Tahini paste
*Salt & black pepper
*Oregano & thyme

Instructions:

*Preheat oven to 200C/400F

*Clean eggplant skin and cut in half the long way. You don’t need to spritz it with oil but doing so on the skin will keep it from blistering while it roasts in the oven. I do it sometimes and others I don’t, so really the choice is yours.

*Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the flesh is soft to the touch but not so soft you can push your finger through it. Remove from oven and let cool.

*Chop cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

*Toss with salt & black pepper along with the other herbs & spices until the florets are well-coated. Place on a baking sheet in one even layer and put in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

*Once eggplant is cooled, scoop it out of the skin and straight into a blender along with half the butter beans. Add salt and pepper along with fresh dill, dried herbs and lemon juice and zest. Pulse it a few times until things start to blend together and add tahini paste.

*Run until smooth and set aside.

*During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the remainder of the butter beans.

*Place the eggplant & butter bean mixture on the bottom of a plate and spread it around like a fancy dip for a party.

*Layer the cauliflower on top and serve with bread (optional) and something fresh like a vegan side salad.

*Add a few chopped hazelnuts on top for a garnish. Or toast them for a few minutes and leave them whole.

And there you have it, an easy yet delicious vegan dinner that’s perfect for fall weather that’s not quite hot and not quite cold yet. This is the kind of meal that will satisfy your appetite so you can hit up a fall festival, a concert or apple picking without feeling too peckish.

What’s your favorite fall activity?

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