Start the year off on a health kick

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A new year marks a great time to turn over a new leaf. While many people resolve to be healthier in a new year, those who aren’t fond of making resolutions can still make an effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Adopting a healthier diet is a great way to improve overall health. And while it’s often assumed that a healthy diet is one void of taste, the following recipe for Chicken and Curried Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches from Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond’s “Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet” (Ten Speed Press) turns such a notion on its head.

Chicken and Curried Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches

Serves 4 to 6

1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil

1 teaspoon hot curry powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1-pound bone-in, skin-on chicken breast

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 grinds black pepper

1/4 teaspoon mustard

1/2 cup canola oil

2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced very thin

1/2 teaspoon hot curry powder

2 tablespoons grated onion

1/3 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup golden raisins

Toasted slices rye, pumpernickel or other brown bread

Mayonnaise

To prepare the cauliflower and chicken, arrange 2 racks in the oven and preheat to 400 F. Toss the cauliflower with the 1 tablespoon of oil, curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or in a glass baking dish. Put the chicken in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer both to the oven, one on each rack. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Let the chicken roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes (30 to 35 minutes total), until a meat thermometer registers 160 F. Remove from the oven and cool.

To make the mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolk with the vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard in a bowl. When well combined, begin adding the oil very slowly, a few drops at a time, until about a quarter of the oil has formed a smooth emulsion with the yolk. Add the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. To this half-cup of basic mayo, add the scallions, curry powder and the grated onion. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed, and refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare and serve the salad, when the chicken is cool, remove and discard the skin, cut the meat from the bone, and dice it into 1/2-inch pieces. Give the cauliflower a rough chop so the pieces are no more than 1/2 inch. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cauliflower, mayo, cashews, and raisins and toss until well mixed. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or curry if you like. Scoop the salad onto toasted bread and enjoy.