Drum Roll for Cauliflower

Last week I was away cooking for a retreat hosted by the Callanish Society (check them out if you don't know of them) and I found myself needing to find a recipe to use up some excess cauliflower.

​Some of you may have already noticed that cauliflower is 'in' right now. This cruciferious vegetable is part of the species Brassica oleraceais - plain language, this means, it is part of the cabbage family which includes broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts and collards. Cauliflower has been around for a while - to be specific - dating back to the 6th century B.C.! Many of us associate it with the white curd-like looking florets, but it comes in a variety of stylish designer colors: white, orange, purple and green!

auliflower is rich in vitamins and minerals particularly vitamin C, folate, and calcium. It also has two main disease-fighters: indole-3-carbinole and sulforaphane which flush toxins out of our bodies disempowering them from creating problems.  Other shout-outs for this vegetable:

• It is a great source of fiber.
• It contains a lipid soluble compound that acts as immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral compound.
• It may help people reduce levels of cholesterol in the body and prevent the risk of strokes and heart problems - all because of a compound called allicin contained in it.
• Many people seeking to keep their carbohydrate count low are also using cauliflower as a substitute for potatoes or rice, since it has a lower starch count. It is a key player in the Ketogenic Diet.

It is actually quite delicious roasted, mashed, steamed and even mimicked as a rice-like dish. I have delicious recipes for a cauliflower frittata, cauliflower cake and even cauliflower cashew khorma (all shown in the gallery below). Apparently it can even be transformed into the basis of a pizza crust. Who knew! Gone are the days of it being relegated to plain - boiled or steamed or perhaps on occasion getting dressed up with a heavy cheese sauce. Nope this baby is flying high right now.

​And so before I forget why I started this blog, here's a delicious creamy cauliflower soup I created based on a wonderful recipe from Hummusapien.

Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• A couple sprigs fresh lemon thyme, to taste
• 1 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (more or less to taste)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place 1/2 cashews in a bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside. Place red onion, bell pepper, and cauliflower on a baking sheet. Add oil and toss to coat. On another smaller baking sheet roast the remaining 1/2 cup of raw cashews. Bake the cashews for 5-7 minutes or until golden and then remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, the vegetables will need about 15 - 20 minutes; make sure you  stir them halfway, or until they are soft and golden in appearance before removing them from the oven and setting them aside.

Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add carrots and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables thyme, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for about 20 minutes or until carrots are cooked. Ladle a couple cups of soup into a high-speed blender (or use a hand-held blender). Add cashews and blend (careful, it will be hot) until completely smooth. Blend the rest of the soup in batches until smooth and creamy.

Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and thyme to taste. You can return it to the stove if you are not ready to serve - just keep it on low. Right before serving, I chopped up the 1/2 cup of roasted cashews and tossed those on top of the soup for garnish and a bit more cashew flavor. This was yummy and satisfying, particularly on a cold winter day - I would serve this again.

Resources:
​http://www.cauliflowerrecipes.co.uk/what-are-the-nutritional-benefits-of-cauliflower/
​http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-cauliflower.html

Cauliflower Cake

Cauliflower Frittata

Cauliflower Cashew Khorma