Growing up, we were always told to eat 'things that are green'. We still know that, for the most part, green foods are very good for us, but as we try to eat better, we have also been turning to one food in particular that is definitely not green: Cauliflower.
- Cauliflower contains little calories but also contain almost every vitamin and mineral you need throughout the day.
- One cup of cauliflower contains 3 grams of fiber. Fiber can help reduce inflammation and promote digestive health.
- Cauliflower protects your cells because it is a good source of antioxidants. Like many other vegetables, they are high in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates which have proved to protect against colon, lung, breast, and prostate cancer.
- Many people are deficient in Choline and one cup of cauliflower contains 45 mg, about 11% of the adequate intake for women and 8% for men. Choline is great for brain development and a healthy nervous system
Fun Fact: Though white cauliflower is most popular, there are many colors of cauliflower including purple, green, and orange. Many people who don't like the taste of white cauliflower find orange cauliflower to be milder and sweeter.
Cooking:
One of the easiest ways to cook cauliflower is to roast it in the oven, but there are plenty of other alternatives to roasting, including making it into rice or a pizza crust!
Sweet and Spicy Baked Cauliflower (Healthyfitnessmeals.com)
- 1 Large Head of Cauliflower (cut into bite sized florets)
- 1 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 tbsp Green Onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tsp Flour or Cornstarch
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking tray with parchment pepper.
- Arrange the cauliflower florets in a single layer onto the prepared baking tray and spray with cooking oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt, and pepper, and using your hands toss well to coat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until it starts to brown on the edges. While cauliflower is cooking, combine all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and whisk until well incorporated.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir frequently, until sauce thickens about 4-5 minutes.
- Once the cauliflower has finished baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the sauce over and toss until fully coated. Top with green onions and sesame seeds and enjoy!
Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice (CookieandKate.com)
- 1 medium-large head of Cauliflower
- 1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup Chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ground black pepper to taste
- If you’re working with a head of cauliflower, cut it into medium chunks and discard the core. Working in batches, pulse the chunks in a food processor with the S-blade until they’re broken into tiny pieces, just bigger than couscous.
- Wrap the cauliflower rice in a clean tea towels or paper towels, twist, and squeeze as much water as possible from the rice—you might be surprised by how much water you can wring out.
- Toast the almonds in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently (careful, or they’ll burn), until they’re fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted almonds to a bowl to cool.
- Return the skillet to the heat and add the olive oil and garlic. Cook while stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 10 to 20 seconds. Add the cauliflower rice, red pepper flakes and salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring just every minute or so, until the cauliflower rice is hot and turning golden in places, about 6 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the toasted almonds, parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
