I was inspired to look at cauliflower. Cauliflowers are cheap and nutritious. I also have a great deal of memories of cauliflower cheese that I would rather forget- it wasn't so much that I didn't like it, but just that I need another then years before I eat if again! ...
1) Make the most of your cauliflower!!
There is nothing wrong with that stalk! Once you have washed it and removed any nasty bits, you just have to chop it into small enough pieces so that it will cook in the same length of time as the florets : ) More cauli for your lolly!
2) Be creative
WHY OH WHY in the UK do we only eat boiled/ steamed cauli or cauliflower cheese? There are hundreds of ways to cook other vegetables!
Cauli can also be pureed as an alternative (and low carb version) of mash potato. Puree the boiled/ steamed cauli with a knob of butter and LOTS of black pepper. Even add some chives and paprika if you feel daring...
3) If you still want to make cauliflower cheese!
- Put LOTS of cheese in it
- Don't skimp on black pepper (or red pepper if you like that)
- Try adding garlic
- Add the greens- they are nutritious and delicious
- Toast it under the grill before you serve it
- Add a bit of leftover chopped bacon
- Why not add some spinach as a variation upon eggs florentine?
4) Another alternative: an idea from seaweed snack, a blog that I was reading: http://seaweedsnacks.blogspot.
Yesterday I coated cauliflower with olive oil, cumin, nutritional yeast, and then roasted it in the oven. Nutritional yeast is a yellow powder that is used by many vegetarians because of its high protein and B vitamin content. These tend to be in short supply in children's diets. Some contain B-12, but only if it is specially added.I topped mine with fresh coriander, but that is the adult version. And, this took less than 10 minutes to prepare!
Olive Oil and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower
oven 375F/ 195 C for 20 min.
1 head cauliflower broken into pieces
1-2 tbls olive oil
1 tbls cumin (or less if you are not a cumin fan)
pinch salt
1-2 tbls nutritional yeast
In a bowl, drizzle olive oil over cauliflower and mix well with you hands making sure each piece is coated. Add cumin, pinch salt and nutritional yeast. Mix with a spoon to coat. Be sure to really get all the yeast and spice on the bottom of the bowl coated on the cauliflower. Carefully spread on a cookie sheet and bake.
Top with a couple of pieces of fresh torn coriander.
Other ideas:
Serve this as a vegetable accompaniment
If you don't like Cumin, or don't have yeast, why not roast it with a drizzle of honey, or a drizzle of sesame oil?
