Creamed Spinach with Roast Tomatoes and Char grilled Cauliflower Salad

Tonight after having a ridiculously long bus ride home in the rush hour traffic I felt grumpy and tired! However, thinking about what to create for dinner did help improve my mood a little. So with the help of my lovely Veggie Recipe book from my good friends Emily and Triona I adapted a few recipes (veganised them) and made a delicious creamy spinach and silverbeet pasta sauce and a fresh char grilled cauliflower salad!

I didn't really know where to start in order to time everything for when Laurence arrived home, but it turned out pretty well. First I took two tomatoes and sliced them into about 8 wedges each then placed them skin side down on a greased oven tray and popped them in the oven to roast away.

Next I prepared the silverbeet and spinach and cooked this in the frying pan on a low heat. Once it was wilted enough I drained it rinsed with cold water then chopped it very finely. I crushed about 6 or 7 garlic cloves and finely chopped the onion, sautéed the onion in the cast iron pan (good for vegan cooking to get that extra iron) and then I added half on the crushed garlic and once this was cooked I added some Coconut Cream.

Only a little coconut cream to start with and gradually more and more. I then finished finely chopping the silverbeet and spinach and added this to the cream/garlic and onion mixture and cooked this slowly on a low heat.

For the Char grilled salad I mixed the remaining crushed garlic cloves with some olive oil and sliced half a cauliflower into small pieces. I rubbed the garlic and olive oil mixture into the cauliflower and popped in the oven to char grill, turning regularly to as not to burn (important!!).

Next I boiled a pot of water for the pasta and at the same time I prepared the dressing for the cauliflower salad. The dressing I made up with lemon juice about 2-3 Tbsps, about 2-3 tsps olive oil about 5 Tbsps of Balsamic Vinegar and about half a cup of fresh coriander. I blended this altogether in my coffee grinder (clean first of course!!!) and then popped it in the fridge once I was satisfied with he flavours.

Back to the pasta sauce meanwhile doing the other stuff I checked and stirred this regularly and added more coconut cream and ended up sing one tin of the cream. I blended it all together (this isn't necessary) to create a very smooth and green thick and creamy sauce, it looks amazing!

Once the pasta was cooked I drained it and mixed the green creamy sauce. I placed it on a serving dish and popped the roasted tomatoes on top - more the better these are just divine after they've been cooking for an hour or so, soooo sweet they really do go perfectly with the spinach sauce. The cauliflower was served with mesclun salad and the coriander/olive oil and balsamic dressing!