The word cauliflower means “cabbage flower.”  It’s one of the few vegetables I find it hard to grow because in buggy New England the worms always seem to win, and eat before I get to.  Maybe I’ll have better luck next year if I refer to the great gardening book we have called Tiny Game Hunting.

8 servings

1 cauliflower head, broken into florets, 4-6 C	1 C minced red or green onion
1 can Eden cannellini beans, or 2 C cooked	1/4 C extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 radishes, halved and sliced, about ½ C	1/3 C lemon juice
2 C round peas, or green beans (2” pieces)	2 tsp black pepper or Grains of Paradise
1 zucchini, cut into half moons, about 2 C	1 Tbsp Celtic or Himalayan salt
2 avocados, halved, pitted and cubed	4 cloves garlic, pressed

Put cauliflower florets into a pot with 2 C boiling water.  Turn down heat, cover pot and simmer for just 5 minutes.  Drain and put into a large mixing bowl.

Open can of Eden beans and drain.  Don’t worry about rinsing.  Add to cauliflower.  When cauliflower is cool, add remaining ingredients and toss everything well so cauliflower is well-coated.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Feel free to add herbs from your garden.  I like fresh basil, dill or oregano in small amounts.

Not a huge fan of lemon?  Use less.  Want this salad richer?  Add more EVOO.  Instead of EVOO, feel free to use pumpkinseed oil for a completely different taste.

Peas and green beans don’t remain bright green for long when tossed with lemon.  If you want this salad to sit overnight, add the peas or green beans at the last minute, or substitute and use extra zucchini or 2 C of celery.  Alternatively, you can add 2 C chopped kale.  It’s all good and all up to you!

So is this easy or what?!?  The only thing you’ve had to cook in this summer salad was the cauliflower, and if you want that raw, be my guest.  I just don’t like raw cauliflower, or raw broccoli for that matter.

Can you make this salad even heartier by adding cheese or hard-boiled eggs?  Absolutely.  This salad travels beautifully to picnics.