A bland little meal that evolved into something good

Last week I wanted something with bold flavors. I had some chicken in my refrigerator to use up and found a recipe for Morrocan Chicken and rice. Normally I love the warm spices and flavors of Morrocan cooking so I signed right up. 

I was so disappointed, it came out really bland. I will say that I don't think I marinated the chicken long enough for the flavor to really penetrate. If I make that again, I will add some more spices, the garlic, tumeric, coriander and cumin didn't add enough.  Maybe some cardomon or saffron?  Also, I might use skinless boneless thighs next time. I feel like they would absorb more of the marinade.   

There were quite a bit of leftovers staring me in the face. I tried squeezing some lemon and adding a bit of salt to it. Better, but not quite there yet. Then, when I was spooning out some Yogurt Tahini Sauce (which I tend to eat straight out of the jar...no judgements, please), I realized that it would liven it up perfectly. I also had a bit of chermoula sauce so I stirred that in as well. Divine!

Both recipes came the website Plant Based School. I've been leaning in on reducing my meat intake, partly due to budget, but also in the interest of reducing my carbon footprint and have found this site to be a great place to find easy vegetarian recipes. 

I first tried the Yogurt Tahini Sauce and the Chermoula when I made their Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe. It was divine!

I loved the brightness of the pomegranite seeds along with the tanginess of the yogurt and the herbiness of the chermoula. Plus, the pop of color just adds a layer of enjoyment to the meal.

The only thing I did wrong was that I over-cooked the cauliflower a bit so, as you can see, it split when I plated it. 

I ate the leftovers of this just warmed to room temperature and loved it just as much as I did when it was steaming hot. I will make this over and over.  

I wish I could say that I'm an inventive cook and come up with my own recipes, but I'm really not. I just really enjoy cooking and trying new things. Most things that are my own recipes are just versions of something that I've tried that has evolved into my own, like my Ravioli Lasagna.