While I will always love printed cookbooks, it’s hard to deny the inspiration I get from the thousands (millions?) of influencers, chefs, food photographers, and stylists online. Lately, I’ve really been enjoying Vegan Challenge 4 U where I recently found a fabulous recipe for roasted cauliflower with a golden drizzle (tahini, lime juice, maple syrup, water). If you enjoy dishes that have tremendous eye appeal, major health benefits, and are foolproof and delicious, this is one you need to try right away.
I made it today for lunch and ate the entire head of cauliflower in one sitting — no regrets! Cauliflower is loaded with many nutrients and plant compounds that are good for your health. And, a medium-sized head of cauliflower has 12g of fiber. (The recommended daily fiber intake for women is 25g and 38g for men.) Apparently most people in the U.S. only get about half of that amount, which is a shame because sufficient fiber intake is good for gut health, regulates blood sugar, and so much more.
However, the health benefits aren’t the thing that will be on your mind when you whip this up for lunch or surprise guests at your next dinner party. The main thing you’ll be thinking is: “OMG this is bomb!” I also love how it’s a great example of culinary alchemy in that it transforms a frequently maligned and unloved vegetable and turns it into the much-loved star of the show.
Tender and buttery on the inside, golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside. All it needs is a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, some salt, and pepper. The golden drizzle sauce that I made today takes it over the top, but you can skip it if you are worried about calories or trying to avoid refined sugar.
After such a satisfying lunch, I do what I always do after cooking a new dish: I research more ways to celebrate the key ingredients. Wow. There are so many ways to prepare cauliflower. I was reminded how I went through a big phase a few years ago, where I obsessively made cauliflower pizza crust almost every week. The hype is real: it’s good! It does, however, take some effort. So after my initial love affair, I turned my attention elsewhere.
Today was a good reminder to make cauliflower a regular item on my shopping list. I also learned that this vegetable is often paired with black olives in a variety of Mediterranean dishes, as in this roasted cauliflower salad with anchovies, olives, and capers. Mmmmm. I can’t wait to go shopping so I can snag all of the ingredients and give it a spin.
Happy Cooking!
The Civilized Lunch Project 