we took amesy to the beach this past weekend for his first real walk on the sand and his inaugural splash in the pacific. frank and i love the beach, so when we found out i was pregnant, we selfishly wondered if our babe would share in our love of the ocean and salty air as well. luckily our trip on sunday confirmed amesy's love for sand, and salty water, and plentiful sunshine; he also accumulated a good amount of sand in just about every crevice of his body, and didn't mind one bit. and once he got acquainted with the waves, he was waddling down the shore chasing after them - our little adventurer.

if you've been in and around southern california then you know this past week has felt anything like autumn. temps have been over 100 degrees, and aside from the sun being a bit lower in the sky and setting earlier, you would think it's the height of summer. i've only been using my oven in the mornings (when there's a 30 degree temperature difference), to roast ames some carrots and sweet potatoes. other than that it's been really exciting dinners for frank and me, like smoothies and room temp. food ;)

but before the heatwave kicked in i cooked from nina olsson's beautiful book, bowls of goodness. nina's book was released last year in europe, but we're celebrating because now it's out in the US for us americans to enjoy!! the book, as you may have guessed, is filled with vibrant meals in bowls, and i'm not sure what's better than that! i first "met" nina over on instagram. her food photos were stunning, and her recipes involved flavor combinations i would never think to combine. from there, i had become smitten with her blog, nourish atelier. i remember reading through her entire recipe index not knowing what recipe to start with.

her book it just as enticing. it's complete with breakfasts, smaller plates, heartier meals, and desserts. many, if not most of her recipes, are gluten free and dairy free/vegan. and this moroccan inspired salad is just one example of nina's ability to create a dish with such thoughtfulness. the base of this salad is harissa-roasted cauliflower. its mixed with raw carrot ribbons, sliced avocado, roasted red onion, raisins, almonds, and topped with an orange tahini sauce. each ingredient compliments the next and makes for one of my favorite cauliflower dishes to date. if nothing else, make the harissa cauliflower! complete game changer :)

xoxo!

Nina's Moroccan Harissa Salad | dolly and oatmeal

moroccan harissa salad | v & gf

recipe from Bowls Of Goodness, by Nina Olsson

| serves 4 |

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup harissa Mina sauce (or 2 tablespoons harissa pasta with 2 tablespoons water)
1 medium cauliflower, florets separated
salt
2 red onions, cut in wedges
8 carrots, shaved into thin bands
4 avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup toasted almonds

orange tahini dressing

juice and zest of 1 oragne
1 garlic clove
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

to serve

sesame seeds
moroccan mint leaves

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
blend the dressing ingredients into a smooth sauce, adding small amounts of water while blending until it is at your desired consistency. store in the fridge until ready to serve.
arrange the cauliflower on the lined baking sheet. mix the olive oil with the harissa and pour over the cauliflower, making sure they are well coated. sprinkle with salt and roast with the onion wedges for 35 to 40 minutes. toss the cauliflower and onion wedges after 20 minutes. once tender, remove from the oven.
mix the roasted veggies with the carrot, avocado, raisins, and almonds. top with sesame seeds, and mint leaves. serve with the tahini dressing.