A Cauliflower Recipe You Will Actually Love

Do you hate cauliflower? Well, then you've probably never had roasted cauliflower. Most of the time, cauliflower is steamed, which makes it bland and mushy. But roasted cauliflower has a nutty, buttery flavor that positively melts in your mouth. You can sprinkle it with cheese, dust it with spices, and even dunk it in barbecue sauce. Follow these simple steps to a delicious, simple and healthy treat.

Cauliflower is full of vital nutrients, including fiber, folate, vitamin C and water. Some studies have even shown that compounds in cauliflower can help protect against cancer, especially prostate cancer. This vegetable is also low in carbohydrates and fats, so it is an excellent addition to any diet.

Normally white, a cauliflower can also be lime green, dark purple or neon orange. These color variations don't really affect the flavor, but colorful vegetables do tend to have more nutrients.

Recipe:

Break the cauliflower into small florets. The smaller they are, the faster they cook. Don't make them too small, though, or they will be difficult to pick up.Put the florets in a baking dish. The dish can be made of any material, but a metal dish will give the cauliflower a slightly crispier exterior because it is a better conductor of heat.Drizzle olive oil, melted butter, or any other type of oil you have on hand over the florets. Toss them around to thoroughly coat. Olive oil provides the healthiest type of fat, so if you're trying to watch your health, that's the type you should use.Sprinkle the cauliflower with any spices that you like. Cumin and paprika go well together on cauliflower, as do pepper and nutmeg.Put the cauliflower in the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.Take the cauliflower out and sprinkle it with grated cheese. Any type of cheese will do, but a gooey soft cheese such as sharp cheddar, gouda, fontina or mozzarella will work best.Put the cauliflower back in for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the cauliflower is golden-brown.

Serve the cauliflower as a side, or use it as a substitute for potatoes. Roasted cauliflower can also make a simple and delicious appetizer or addition to a party tray. Set it next to a bowl of hummus, baba ganoush and spicy yogurt sauce, or put it on top of toasted bread slices spread with a creamy lemon aioli. You could even eat it as a snack instead of popcorn or chips!

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

A couple of times this week I made this fabulous cauliflower pizza crust. What is so great about this vegetable pizza is that it's a gluten free pizza crust and it can also easily be made as a delicious vegan pizza recipe.

I first heard of cauliflower pizza crust last week while at a class learning how to make regular pizza crust. I had my doubts but after making it and there not being a crumb left I knew this was a winner, and so easy to make!

Ingredients for this gluten free pizza crust:

About 1/2 lb of cauliflower

1 egg - to make it a vegan pizza recipe use 1/4 cup egg substitute

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese (For the vegans, I used Daiya cheddar cheese in my crust and then the mozzarella cheese for the topping.)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook the cauliflower until firm but not too soft. Let cool and then either grate it, blend it or place the cauliflower in a Cuisinart to finely chop it (also known as cauliflower rice). Should come out to 1 cup of cauliflower rice.

Place cauliflower rice in a bowl and mix it with the egg or egg substitute, oregano and 1 cup of cheese or cheese substitute. Note, I also chopped up some fresh spinach into the mixture to get a little extra vegetables! Mix ingredients well and then spoon it onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

You want to pat down the mixture on the baking sheet so that it is about the same depth of a regular pizza crust and form your cauliflower pizza crust dough into a round pie shape.

Bake your gluten free pizza crust in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. You want the top of the crust brown with the sides crispy. Start watching the crust after about 15 minutes to be sure it gets brown and crunchy without burning.

Let the crust cool and then remove the parchment paper by sliding the cauliflower pizza crust onto the cookie sheet. Note, if the middle of the crust is a bit soft, you will need to use a large spatula to help transfer the crust off of the parchment paper.

To finish your pizza, add your favorite pizza sauce and toppings. (I used fresh chopped mushrooms, spinach and Daiya cheese to make this a vegan pizza recipe.)

Place the pizza back in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbling. Take out, plate and serve.

What I loved about this gluten free pizza crust is that it's light and healthy plus you are getting your vegetables!

Until next time, remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, stylish, fun and economical for all!

Andrea Wyn is owner of A Wynning Event http://www.awynningevent.com/, a Los Angeles wedding and special event management company. She is a marketing & special event planner with over 15 years of experience and for the past ten years, she has been the event planner for the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R). She has taken her knowledge and special event experience and written an easy-to-read book called Budget Bash http://www.budgetbashbook.com/ where you can find more ideas and helpful tips on event planning including menus, decor, budgets, timelines, florals and more.

Original article