Meal prep for the week is starting to become a Sunday morning ritual for me. This morning I made a large batch of this Cauliflower and Broccoli Rice Salad. I suggest grilling up some shrimp for added protein and a complete and easy weekday lunch.
.
Cauliflower and Broccoli Rice Salad
1 head cauliflower
3 cups broccoli florets
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion
2 lemons
3/4 cup avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
.
Wash and clean cauliflower, cutting it into small pieces and removing green portions. Add the cauliflower in small batches to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until rice consistency. Dump into a large bowl. Rice broccoli by using the same method as cauliflower, adding to the bowl.
.
Finely dice onion and green pepper, adding to the cauliflower and broccoli rice mixture. Half cherry tomatoes and add to the mix.
.
For the dressing, zest and juice two lemons into a small bowl. Add in avocado oil, salt, pepper and cumin powder. Whisk together and stir into salad mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed. Makes 4 generous lunch portions.
Whole30
This is one of my favorite Whole 30 dishes. It’s an easy weeknight dinner, and the vegetables can be swapped out with whatever you have on hand – or prefer. The coconut and curry create a sauce that is so delicious, you don’t even need extra seasoning.
.
Coconut Curry Shrimp & Veggies
1/2 pound shrimp, thawed
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 zucchini
6-8 mushrooms
3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 cans coconut milk
2 tablespoons avocado oil
Lime for garnish
.
Prepare vegetables: Peel and slice onion into large strips. Clean out seeds and ribs from peppers and cut into strips. Wash and slice zucchini into half moons, removing ends. Slice mushrooms into somewhat thick pieces.
.
Heat avocado oil in a large skillet. Add onion and peppers, stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes before adding mushrooms. Continue to cook vegetables for another 3-4 minutes.
.
Add curry paste to the pan and combine into vegetables. Stir in both cans of coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are cooked but still firm. Add shrimp to the pan and cook 5-6 minutes, until shrimp is done. Avoid overcooking, or shrimp will become rubbery.
.
Serve with cauliflower rice and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Post updated with new photography and description.
A few years ago I visited France to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday. We stayed in an incredible chateau – the kind you see in the movies and never imagine actually visiting. There were multiple kitchens on the property, but we were mostly left to our own devices for meals.
That was exciting for me, though feeding 20 hungry (read: wine-filled) friends can be a challenge when you’re also enjoying vacation. I love to cook and entertain, so it really was a dream come true. But after a few days, I needed a respite from the kitchen. That led me to a large pot of my Leek & Potato Soup. I made it in bulk, because I knew the starchy potatoes would allow us to revisit the wine cellar.
This recipe has been slightly updated (I’ve added some fresh thyme in recent versions to give it a bit more pizazz), but it’s so easy to pull together when you need a bowl of comfort on warm winter – or French summer – nights.

Leek & Potato Soup
Reed Dunn Post updated with new photography and description. A few years ago I visited France to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday. We stayed in an incredible chateau – the kind you… Print ThisIngredients
- 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 medium white onions
- 3 leeks
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
Dice two onions. Wash leeks and cut white and lightest green parts into rings. Finely chop garlic. Wash and rough chop potatoes, leaving the skin on.
In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons ghee. Add in diced onion and chopped leeks, cooking for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add in fresh thyme, salt and pepper, stir and add potatoes to the pot. Add vegetable broth, water and bay leaf.
Bring pot to a boil and continue stirring to release starch from potatoes. Continue cooking until potatoes are soft and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and add coconut milk.
Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until a smooth consistency is reached. Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve.
Cauliflower has gotten popular as a replacement ingredient for rice, mashed potatoes and even pizza crust as paleo and Whole30 has gained popularity in recent years. I’ve transformed it into all of these things, but this colorful variety deserved to be no less than florets.
.
Colorful Cauliflower Salad
1 medium head cauliflower
3 celery stalks
1/4 red onion
4 green onions
1 handful fresh parsley
1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
.
Cut cauliflower into florets. Place in a steaming basket over a medium sauce pan with boiling water. Make sure vegetables don’t touch the water. Steam for 5 minutes and set aside.
.
While cauliflower is steaming, slice celery stalks and add to a medium bowl. Thinly slice red onion and chop parsley, adding to the bowl. Slice green parts only of green onion and add to the bowl. Add in cooked cauliflower and stir to combine.
.
For the dressing, squeeze juice of lemon into a small bowl. Add red wine vinegar and whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables, and mix to combine. Place in refrigerator for flavors to combine, up to 8 hours or overnight.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2020 with new photography and refined recipe.
This dinner looks elegant, yet the single skillet of the main dish makes it a breeze to put together and to clean up after the meal is complete. It’s quite simple for a weeknight dinner or a last-minute recipe that can wow your friends in a pinch. Plus, it’s completely Whole30 compatible and ready in less than 30 minutes.
I especially like to introduce this recipe to people who don’t think they like fish or who are turned away by the ingredient list – not everyone thinks they like capers. All of the Mediterranean flavors come together in creating a sauce for the fish that is light, yet bold.

Mediterranean Cod
Reed Dunn Updated on Oct. 8, 2020 with new photography and refined recipe. This dinner looks elegant, yet the single skillet of the main dish makes it a breeze to put together… Print ThisIngredients
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup kalamata olives
- 2 to 4 cod portions
- Avocado oil
- Kosher salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
While oven is preheating, thinly slice onion. Half cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. Heat about 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add sliced garlic cloves, tomatoes and olives. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, until tomatoes start to break down a bit and release their liquid.
Juice one lemon into the pan and nestle cod pieces into the center. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and season well with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until cod is cooked through.
Remove from the oven, top with fresh, chopped parsley (optional) and serve with roasted carrots or the sides of your choice.
For the Pesto Carrots:
1 bunch rainbow carrots
2 to 3 tablespoons avocado oil
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
½ cup prepared pesto (optional) for serving
Wash and/or peel carrots, as needed. Toss carrots with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined roasting pan. Roast in 400 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through roasting to get even browning.
Plate carrots and top with prepared pesto, as desired. Serve.