Tag Archives: cauliflower

Cauliflower Pizza Crust?!

12 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in DIY

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Food:

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1c. cauliflower, pulsed into tiny looking grain (I’ll explain)

1c. shredded provolone cheese

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. dried basil or oregano

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

pepper

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 450 degrees. Take a head of cauliflower and break up the florets into the food processor and pulse down until you get something that resembles course grain. Be sure not to over process.

2. Place 1c. cauliflower grain in bowl that is safe for the microwave and cook for 4 minutes. While the cauliflower cooks place the beaten egg, chopped garlic, dried herbs, garlic salt and pepper in a bowl, mix to combine. Next add the shredded cheese and mix again.

3. When the cauliflower is done cooking let cool for just a minute and then add it to the cheese mixture. Mix to combine all the ingredients. Scoop the mixture onto a lined w/parchment paper or oiled cookie sheet. (I have a silpat that I placed on my baking sheet, it worked great) Form the mixture into a good size circle.

4. Place the cauliflower crust in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn oven off and leave the crust in for another 5 minutes. Take crust out of the oven and top with whatever you want (you want to make sure that all of your toppings are cooked accordingly beacuase you are just going to place the whole pizza under the broiler for just a minute to warm through or melt any extra chesse you might add).

-Cosmo Hippie Chef Toppings-

DIY Pizza Sauce

Sauteed mushrooms

Fresh arugula

Sprinkle of pecorino cheese

Truffle oil (drizzled on after the pizza was under a low broiler for 5 minutes)

Nutrition:

Cauliflower- One cup of raw cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C and is a very good source of fiber, potassium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Caulifower and other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, and kale contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. They increase the activity of enzymes that disable and eliminate carcinogens.

Cheese- Cheese contains a high concentration of essential nutrients, in a particular high-quality protein and calcium, as well as other nutrients sush as phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin and vitamin B12.

Love:

So this idea for a cauliflower pizza crust has been floating around facebook and pinterest so I just had to try it. Bill-y loves pizza but we differ on the frequency on how often we should eat pizza, it’s not that I don’t like pizza but I’m trying to keep my sexy! So this idea for crust made out of vegetables was right up my alley and who knows Bill-y just might like it to. Well neeed less to say he was a total skeptic, he says ‘this is the weirdest idea I have ever heard of!’. Guess what? Master William loved it and thought it tatsed so gourmet. Maybe, just maybe we have solved the pizza dillema in our house. Enjoy!

Cauliflower- Mac and Cheese Style

22 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in seasonal, Side dish

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Cauliflower ready for cheese sauce!

Food:

Cauliflower- Mac and Cheese Style

1 lrg. head of cauliflower, stem and leaves removed cut in half and then slice both sides in 1/2 slices

1c. milk (I used unflavored coconut milk not canned, Use whatever kind of milk you have)

1/2 fresno chile, chopped (fresno chiles are like jalapeno’s but red and have a sweet heat)

1/2 lrg. purple onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 T. butter

2 T. whole wheat flour (if gluten intolerant sub w/gluten free flour such as buckwheat flour)

1c. reserved water from steaming

1c. sharp white cheddar, shredded (I used Beehive Cheese, local, Full Moon)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

a few fresh grates of nutmeg

Olive oil (for topping)

-topping-

1 1/2c. bread crumbs (I used high-five fiber bread crumbs, if you have a gluten intolerance sub w/ almond meal- I haven’t tried it but I can’t see why it wouldn’t be great)

1/4c. grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

1/4c. chopped parsley

-mix altogether and set aside

1. Start by steaming the cauliflower for 5 minutes. I place a steamer basket in a medium pot, I fill the bottom of the pot with about 1 1/2c. water. Turn the stove to medium, when the water begins to boil place the lid on the pot and steam for 5 min.

2. When the cauliflower is done steaming, remove the lid and let cool to the touch before you place the steamed cauliflower in a baking dish. (Choose one that will fit the cauliflower comfortably.) Arrange the cauliflower in the baking dish and set aside.

3. Let’s make the sauce! Start by placing a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter, saute the onion, fresno chile and garlic for just a few minutes. Next sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 min. Then whisk in the milk, and preserved water from steaming, whisk until smooth. Add the seasonings to the smooth mixture and let simmer until just thickened. Take the sauce off the heat and add the cheese, stir to melt. Taste to check salt and pepper and add more if needed.

4. Pour the lovely cheese sauce over the prepared steamed cauliflower. Sprinkle on the topping and drizzle with olive oil. Bake @350 for 30 mins. Serve hot! Enjoy!

Cauliflower is ready for the oven!

Nutrition:

Cauliflower- One cup of raw cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C and is a very good source of fiber, potassium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Caulifower and other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, and kale contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. They increase the activity of enzymes that disable and eliminate carcinogens.

Cheese- Cheese contains a high concentration of essential nutrients, in a particular high-quality protein and calcium, as well as other nutrients sush as phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin and vitamin B12.(Courtesy of ‘The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods’)

Love:

The only way I can keep my sweet husband Bill-y on an eating for health plan is to treat him to dishes like this from time to time. It was the perfect dish in the middle of the week when he needs a dinner that feels like a splurge. I served it along side a huge spinach/arugula salad that I topped with pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds. It was a fun dish and my sweetie was happy to eat his veggies even if they were covered in cheese! Remember cauliflower is a great winter veg.

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in pasta, vegan

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Creamy Cauliflower Pasta

 Food:

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Serves 6

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 lb. whole wheat pasta

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 c. dry white wine (if you’re not a drinker, start! j/k- sub with veggie broth)

1 1/2 T. chopped fresh oregano

1/4 c. kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (or whatever kind you like, I like green cerignola olives from Tony Caputo’s)

1 t. red-pepper flakes

4 sprigs parsley, stemmed and chopped (I use a bit more, I like parsley)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c. shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (about 1oz.) (if vegan omit cheese or sub w/vegan cheese)

*variation- add small can drained and chopped tomatoes to the skillet when you add the wine. (I do this and love it, I used my own canned tomatoes)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add cauliflower and cook for 5 mins, or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, reserving the water. Cook the pasta according to directions in the reserved water. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cauliflower and cook for 5 mins, stirring and breaking the cauliflower into bite size pieces. Add wine, oregano, olives, red-pepper flakes (and tomatoes is using) and cook for 3 mins or until the cauliflower is very tender. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over pasta and toss to coat well. Top with cheese.

Nutrition: 

Cauliflower- As an excellent source of vitamin K, cauliflower provides us with one of the hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients. Researchers have determined that the sulfor aphane made from a glucosinolate in cauliflower (glucoraphanin) can help protect the lining of your stomach. Sulforaphane provides you with this health benefit by preventing bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori in your stomach or too much clinging by this bacterium to your stomach wall. (Courtesy of WHF)

Whole Wheat Pasta-  Unlike traditional pastas made of refined durum wheat, or semolina, whole-grain noodles don’t lose their bran and germ during processing. Bran, the outer skin of a whole grain, and the germ, or embryo of the grain, carry considerable healthful fats, protein, antioxidants, B vitamins, minerals, and fiber. One of these minerals, magnesium, increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which may help to lower the risk of diabetes. And dietary vitamin E, folate, and fiber may reduce the risk of heart disease. Another thing high-fiber diets might do is drive down harmful glucose, insulin, and fat levels in the blood. (Courtesy of Cooking Light)

Love:

I love this recipe because it’s fast, easy, healthy and will feed a crowd. I recently made it for one of our holiday hangouts with the friends and everyone enjoyed it including the kids, YAY! Home Run! Cauliflower is a winter veg and my Whole Foods has had it on sale, so it’s been a great winter dinner dish. We like to toss in some fresh spinach or arugula for that extra green veggie punch. This recipe came from of my favorite cookbooks ‘Simply Organic’ by Jesse Ziff Cool- a Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal and Local Ingredients. Try it, you’ll love it. ENJOY!

Broccoli Chop Salad

21 Monday Jun 2010

Posted by in dressing, salad, vegan

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This is what I made for my lunch this week, it’s light fresh and taste amazing. This recipe makes alot so make it the beginning of the week for something quick out of the fridge or make it for your next get together. P.S. My picture isn’t the best but don’t judge this book by it’s cover, try it you’ll love it.
-Broccoli Chop Salad- serves 6-8
2 heaping c. fresh broccoli
2 heaping c. fresh cauliflower
1 heaping c. fresh peas (FM) you could use frozen
1 c. chopped celery
2 medium granny smith apples, cored and diced
1/4 c. – 1/2 c. diced purple onion (depending on how much you like)
2/3 c. raw sunflower seeds
*optional ingredients:
1/4 c.- 1/2 c. blue cheese or Gorgonzola
1/2 c. raisins, dried cranberries or tart dried cherries
crispy bacon (I didn’t add the optional ingredients and for the bacon I use something called Organic Smoky Tempeh ‘tem-pay’ Strips. Tempeh is an Indonesian word meaning tender cooked legumes, this one is made with organic soybeans and organic brown rice. I know what your thinking but you fry it up like bacon and in this dish you can’t tell the difference. It’s also good in place of bacon on a BLT)
1. Usually I use all the ingredients raw but this time I decided to blanch the broccoli, cauliflower and peas one at a time for maybe one minute each and then quickly dropped them into a ice cold water mixture in the sink. You decide.
2. Whether your using the veggies raw or blanched chop the broccoli and the cauliflower into rough bite size pieces and toss into a big bowl.
3. Next add the peas, then the chopped apples, celery and purple onion. Toss all together lightly.
4. If using the optional ingredients add them now, wait to toss with the dressing.
-Dressing-
1 c. mayo, (I use veganaise…LOVE it! I’ve never tried this but you could add plain yogurt)
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. agave
salt and pepper to taste
1. Mix all together in a bowl with a whisk or fork.
2. Pour half over the veggie mixture and toss lightly, add the rest of the dressing and the sunflower seeds. Toss to coat. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving, good for 4-5 days. Enjoy.