Roasted cauliflower is a “healthy” guilty pleasure – here’s how to enjoy it

The cauliflower is the cabbage’s lesser-known but equally powerful cousin. It is also considered a superfood, thanks to it being as nutritious as its other family members. The vegetable is a great source of antioxidants and it is jam-packed with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber.

One cup of raw cauliflower has 10 percent of your daily value (DV) for vitamin B6, 20 percent DV for vitamin K, and 77 percent DV for vitamin C.

People who regularly consume cauliflowers get a lot of their health benefits, including stronger bones, digestion, and cardiovascular system function.

Cauliflowers belong to the cruciferous family of vegetables, which includes kale, broccoli, and cabbage. While they get a bad rap for being difficult to digest and full of calories, the positives of eating them are overwhelming. In fact, they can even be a great weight loss alternative to higher-calorie foods like bread and rice.

Roasting is sweeter, healthier alternative

If you can’t stand eating cauliflower – because it’s tasteless or bitter, even when steamed or fried – then roasting might just be the alternative for you.

Roasting cauliflowers – and other vegetables – makes it taste sweeter because of the caramelization process in roasting. Caramelization is when the natural sugars found in the vegetables begin to heat up. This process can be seen when the vegetables begin to turn brown in your oven. This makes the natural sugars in cauliflowers come up to the surface of the vegetable and concentrate, making it taste sweeter than if you simply steamed it or ate it raw.

“The dry heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables which brings about an amazing depth of flavor,” says dietician Susan Bowerman, in an article on Chowhound.com.

Roasted cauliflower with quinoa and peas

If you’re still not convinced, perhaps this roasted cauliflower recipe might just do the trick. (h/t to MindBodyGreen.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower, cut up into small pieces
• 1 cup rinsed quinoa
• 2 cups peas
• 1 cup microgreens
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• A pinch of sea salt and black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Line your tray with baking sheets. Place cauliflower florets on tray and drizzle them with olive oil.
3. Place the tray in the oven and roast it for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Take your cauliflowers out of the oven and season with sea salt and black pepper.
5. In a saucepan, place rinsed quinoa and pour vegetable stock over it, bringing it to a boil.
6. Once boiling, cover the saucepan, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until quinoa is translucent.
7. Remove the quinoa and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. In a pot, boil heavily salted water and blanch the peas in it for a minute.
9. Drain the boiling water and then put the peas through running water until it’s totally cold.
10. Combine the cauliflower, quinoa, and peas in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season it with as much salt and pepper as you desire. Top the dish off with your microgreens for added flavor.

It takes only ten easy steps and less than an hour for you to enjoy a plate of deliciously roasted cauliflower. Not only will you be eating a superfood that can even help you fight cancer, but you’ll enjoy eating it, thanks to the flavors that roasting has brought out. (Related: Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric – What This Powerful Dish Can Do For You)

Sources include:

MedicalNewsToday.com

OrganicFacts.net

MyCactus.lu

Healthline.com

ChowHound.com

MindBodyGreen.com