Cool Tip: The Amazing Cauliflower

This should be the Flower of the Month for January.

It’s the start of a new year and our thoughts (should) turn  - due to a combination of over-indulgence and the necessity of taking back some control of eating habits - to eating healthy. Almost every magazine article and medical journal will tell you that more fruits and vegetables (but mostly vegetables) into your diet will be one of the best things you can do for your health and longevity. (I tried to find an article that cited similar benefits for chocolate, but have thus far been unsuccessful). So the question then becomes: how do you add more vegetables into your diet without giving up flavor? And, in my case at least, how do I trade them for the carbs I love but need to lose...at least for a while.

Enter the cauliflower. It’s a very healthful member of the plant family Brassicaceae - which includes mustards and cabbages - and it’s full of VItamin C, fiber and several anti-cancer phytochemicals. Cauliflower also is very low in calories: one whole average head of cauliflower is less than 150 calories.

Cauliflower is incredibly versatile in cooking methods, with tremendous impersonation powers. For years we’ve made, served, and loved Cauliflower Popcorn. Recently my sister introduced me to Cauliflower Crust Pizza (before Trader Joe’s had it in their frozen food section!) and I’ve started to see cauliflower “rice” show up in both Costco and Trader Joe’s. But I didn’t realize how versatile, as well as healthy, it is, and how easy it is to make, when we developed a recipe for Cauliflower Couscous, to serve under Kennedy’s Favorite Chicken and other favorite Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes, like Tabbouleh Salad.

It’s the season to enjoy Cauliflower, and to exploit its possibilities!

Happy New Year!