Foods You Should Know About: Cauliflower
So it’s kinda of obvious but I’m sure everyone knows about cauliflower. However, this post will change the way you think about this crunchy veggie! Unless your diet is mostly veggies or you just like to expand your dietary horizons, you probably don’t know just how many ways cauliflower can add to your meals!
What is Cauliflower?
Cauliflower is the white little trees in the produce section. They’re one of the many cruciferous vegetables that you should eat on a daily basis. I don’t know about you but as a child, cauliflower was absolutely disgusting. However, it’s low taste profile makes it a great canvas for delicious flavors!
Why should I eat it?
Cauliflower provides a very good helping of Vitamins C & K. One cup of cauliflower is only about 29 calories and a great addition to any meal. Cauliflower has been known to reduce cancer risks and lower inflammation. It improves digestion and it’s a great side dish to any meal.
Cauliflower Rice!
How should I eat it?
This is where it gets fun! So I’m sure you’ve heard about the Cauliflower rice/bits craze. I’m lazy and I just don’t have the knife work to make the bits so I buy these already cut. However, you can chop up cauliflower into tiny bits and toss them in many dishes.
I’ve made many vegetarian dishes by substituting the meat for cauliflower. By cooking the cauliflower with some seasonings and lightly “browning” them, they mimic ground beef. My girl Kelly has an AMAZING recipe for vegetarian tacos using cauliflower. Even if you’re not a vegetarian, these tacos are absolutely delicious! Cauliflower rice can be used in place of regular rice if you are trying to avoid eating so many carbs. I love mixing it in with my meals and salads to get my extra veggies in.
Another way to sneak these in to your day is SMOOTHIES. Yep, you heard right! It may sound nasty but remember how I said cauliflower didn’t really have a strong taste? This is where it comes in handy. Using those little cauliflower bits, you can mix in a 1/4 cup into your smoothie of the day. Not only are you getting more veggies in your diet BUT the cauliflower will thicken up your smoothie and make it absolutely delectable. I challenge you to give this one a try!
