Marinated Vegetable Salad to the rescue when I needed to use fresh vegetables from the frig. I substituted celery for cucumber and liked the crunchiness it added. It’s a flavorful salad but I sprinkled with crumbled feta (second photo) and enjoyed the addition.
Marinated Vegetable Salad
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, ~10oz
2 cups chopped carrots, ~4 medium carrots
1 cucumber, seeded then chopped (I used celery)
1 bell pepper, any color, seeded then chopped
For the Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons minced shallots (I used green onions)
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
salt and pepper
Optional Topping: I sprinkled the salad with crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Add ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid or bowl then shake or whisk to combine. Taste then add more salt, pepper, and/or oil if necessary (this dressing is very tart so add more oil if it’s too tart for your tastes.)
Add vegetables to a very large bowl then dress with 3/4 of the vinaigrette. Toss then refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight. Toss with remaining vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
Cauliflower, or as my oldest grandson used to say ‘white broccoli’, is one of my favorite vegetables whether raw or roasted. This vegetable side, or Vegetarian main dish, is quite delicious. I ate the leftovers and enjoyed them as well. Another creative way to enjoy white broccoli!
Cauliflower ‘Wedge’ with Creamy Parmesan Peppercorn
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cauliflower:
2 heads cauliflower stems removed and cut into 8 wedges
8 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp. garlic powder
For the Dressing:
1/2 cup blended cottage cheese (or plain yogurt)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tbsp. lemon juice
1-2 tbsp. minced parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. water, or more. to thin
For the chickpeas:
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. sumac (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan or roasting pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the butter: Add the melted butter, paprika, salt, dill and garlic powder to a small bowl and mix. Place the cauliflower onto the parchment paper, coat each wedge completely in the butter, cover with foil and roast for 25-30 minutes.
Make the chickpeas: Add the dried chickpeas to a sheet pan and dry roast them for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and add the oil and spices. Toss to coat and roast another 8-10 minutes.
Make the dressing: Add all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
Plate the cauliflower, spoon the dressing over the top and top with parsley and the chickpeas.
Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Bites are absolutely delicious. This recipe is easy to prepare and great as an appetizer or as a side dish. I haven’t tried this with my grandkids buy I think they would eat it, too. I do love a roasted vegetable, and this one is over the top!
Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Bites with Creamy Onion Dip
INGREDIENTS:
1 small head cauliflower, cut into thinly sliced florets (about 1/2″ thick)
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 1/2 to 3 tbps unsalted butter
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley (I used dried parsley)
For the dip:
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 tbsp chopped parsley (I used dried parsley)
2 tbsp chopped chives
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper
Toppings (optional): fresh chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the butter to a large casserole dish or cookie sheet and place in the oven while it preheats to melt.
Add the parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to a small bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
Add the cauliflower to a large bowl, then add the olive oil, remaining salt and pepper, and parsley. Toss to combine.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven, add the parmesan cheese mixture to the bottom of the dish and spread evenly.
Place the cauliflower florets into the dish, flat down. Sprinkle any of the remaining parsley or cauliflower bits over the top, then sprinkle a little bit more parmesan cheese.
Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the parmesan on the bottom has browned. Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
While the cauliflower roasts, make the dip. Add the sour cream or yogurt to a small dish, then add salt, onion powder, parsley, chives and pepper. Mix to combine.
Place the cauliflower on a plate, top with parsley and serve with the dip.
Cauliflower is a vegetable I has grown to enjoy, raw and roasted. I’ve roasted cauliflower with or without broccoli and other vegetables dozens of time, drizzled with olive oil and kosher salt. Adding toasted pine nuts and raisins was a delicious treat! I chose to roast flowerettes vs. cauliflower steaks. Either way, it’s delicious!
The recipe could easily be adapted to Vegan by substituting olive oil for the butter. I used traditional raisins and dried parsley and, in the future, I plan to try the recipe with Craisins or dried cherries instead of raisins. Play with it…Make it your own… Enjoy!
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH PINE NUTS & RAISINS
2 heads cauliflower
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley, torn
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut off the cauliflower stems, then place the heads cut-side down and slice into 1/2-inch-thick steaks. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping after the first 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the pine nuts to a dry medium sauté pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the raisins and butter and season with salt. Cook, tossing, until the butter has melted and coats the pine nuts and raisins. Off the heat, stir in the parsley.
Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter. Pour the pine nut-raisin mixture over the top. Season with salt.
Spring Bliss Bowls are so yummy that I made it twice within two weeks. There were so many ‘wows’ in this recipe. Wow, I have NEVER used pesto on rice…it’s amazing! Wow, I’ve NEVER roasted radishes…they are delicious! I roasted all vegetables on the same cookie sheet and it worked fine. You can also add protein such as sliced chicken breast if you like. If you don’t like the vegetables in the recipe, change it up. Any combination of vegetables will be great. Go for it!
SPRING BLISS BOWLS
INGREDIENTS:
serves 4
1 cup short grain brown rice extra virgin olive oil seasoned salt and pepper 10oz. bag cauliflower florets, trimmed into similar sized florets 3 small golden beets, trimmed, peeled and chopped 1 bunch radishes, trimmed then halved or quartered if large 1/2 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed then chopped into 2” lengths 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto, divided (recipe recommends Buitoni-I used my homemade pesto) 2 Tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth 1/4 cup pepitas/pumpkin seeds (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line two half sheet pans with foil, spray with nonstick spray, and set aside. (I used one cookie sheet vs. two).
Add brown rice plus 1-3/4 cup water, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkling of seasoned salt to a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid. (Refer to the cooking instructions on your particular bag.) Bring to a boil then place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, and gently simmer for 40 minutes. Taste – if rice is still crunchy, add 2 Tablespoons water then continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove pot from heat then let sit and steam with the lid on for 7 minutes before fluffing and cooling slightly. Once slightly cooled, stir in 1/3 cup pesto.
Meanwhile, add cauliflower to a medium-sized bowl then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with seasoned salt and pepper. Spread onto one half of the first sheet pan then oil/season beets in the same bowl and spread onto the other half. Roast for 15 minutes then stir.
While the cauliflower and beets are roasting, oil/season the radishes then spread out onto one half of the second sheet pan. Roast for 10 minutes with the beets/cauliflower then stir. Add oiled/seasoned asparagus to the remaining empty half of the second sheet pan then roast with all the other vegetables for 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Add remaining 1/4 cup pesto to a small dish with chicken or vegetable broth then stir to combine.
Scoop pesto rice into four bowls then top each bowl with a quarter of the roasted vegetables. Drizzle with pesto sauce then top with 1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds, if using, and serve.
For Meal Prep: Let all components cool then portion into containers, cover, and refrigerate. Microwave for 1-1:30 minutes or until warm then eat.
Notes I like to keep each vegetable separated in case they cook quicker or slower than the other vegetables.
Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Soup, with only 5 ingredients, sounded too easy to be good. I was wrong.
It was full of flavor and, depending on your taste buds, could be enhanced with additional vegetables and spices. I think I will add a bit of curry next time.
What would you add?
SWEET POTATO AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP
1 head cauliflower
3 sweet potatoes
1 sweet onion
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
7 cups water
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400F.
Cut up cauliflower and lay out on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil, and bake for 25 minutes.
In a large pot bring water, sweet potato, onion and garlic to boil. Cook until sweet potatoes are tender.
Remove half of soup and puree in food processor. Return to soup pot.
Garnish with green onion, salt and pepper, parsley.
The first microwave I owned was a gift from my husband and the microwave was the size of a small refrigerator. The microwave was so complex (or so we thought) that we attended three complimentary classes at the local Appliance Store. Looking back, it cracks me up that it was considered so cutting edge.
Microwave cooking changed my life, making leftovers an almost perfect ‘do-over’ of the original meal.
This recipe was one of many shared with us in our classes. I made it often early in our marriage but forgot about it until a recent conversation with my sister-in-law, Donna. It isn’t the healthiest vegetable recipe, but delicious and provided me with this fun walk down memory lane.
TANGY MUSTARD CAULIFLOWER
Servings: 6
1 medium head cauliflower
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Place cauliflower in casserole. Add water and cover with lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on High for 8-9 minutes, or until tender crisp.
Combine mayonnaise, onion and mustard in small mixing bowl. Spoon mustard sauce on top of cauliflower.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Microwave for 1-2 minutes to heat topping and melt cheese. Let stand 2 minutes.
Fork Lore 