**CAULIFLOWER - the white, firm cousin of our old pal broccoli.**

It’s enjoying a pretty prolonged stint in the limelight right now as one of the trendiest vegetables (I feel ridiculous saying that, but it’s true), and for good reason!

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXjZmjm2NaBLBQUVMiMHfJ3eKRtjAM7YoLUicMcttq7tF/image.png)

It’s a cruciferous vegetable with tons of health benefits, including (but not limited to) reducing inflammation, fighting cancer, and facilitating good digestion. It’s also packed with micronutrients that we all need, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It definitely deserves a place at your table, but if it’s not prepared thoughtfully and given plenty of flavor, it’s certainly not for everyone!

I don’t know a whole lot of people who can just eat a big bowl of boiled cauliflower with nothing on it. I absolutely love vegetables, and cauliflower is in my top 5, and I don’t even want to do that.

Especially if you have kids, or you’re a picky eater yourself, getting enough vegetables into your daily meals can be a challenge - but in my opinion, it’s imperative in order to maintain optimal health. 

I remember being a kid and going to a friend’s house for dinner, and we weren’t allowed to leave the table until we finished the boiled, under-seasoned, honestly shitty broccoli that had been plopped on our plates. I thought that approach was silly then, and I still do now!

We’ve gotta find ways to give our veggies some love so that we don't just HAVE to eat them, we WANT to!

With the right seasonings and cooking methods, cauliflower can transform into a wide array of pretty convincing substitutes for the traditional (and sometimes not-so-healthy) foods you love that may not always have a place in your healthy nutritional plan…

When cooked, it has a texture rather similar to that of a potato, making it extremely versatile but without all of the starch - especially nice for those of you watching your carbohydrate intake.

Even if it’s just simply roasted until it’s caramelized and tossed with a little bit of pesto, garlic and lemon, or some fresh herbs and crushed red pepper, cauliflower can be insanely delicious - you just have to maximize it’s potential by adding tons of flavor and cooking it well, like any other ingredient!

Here are some of the more interesting ways I like to use cauliflower in my meals:

**Cauliflower Rice**

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmV22Tg6Sy6T3zHfP31TUVwY1suHXEspxgoN4bVpVPHqGc/image.png)

You can always pulse a head of raw cauliflower in your food processor to make your own, but since you can buy “riced cauliflower” in many major grocery retailers now, both fresh and frozen, it’s the easiest thing to throw together for a side dish even on the busiest nights! I like to sauté it in a hot skillet with a spritz of nonstick cooking spray, add garlic salt, onion powder, and cracked black pepper and call it done :) Sometimes I add in a bag of chopped spinach (fresh or frozen) for extra color, nutrients and volume - I’m sure it’s obvious that it’s there in the picture above! Having these two things on hand in my freezer have saved me many times when I’m low on produce - awesome for those of you looking for something simple, fast, and healthy!



**Cauliflower Mash**

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSg1SghHLa6sbvoy8wiBiZU9M8DiL7xrm3ZyD3pzTwvwr/image.png)

Pictured above alongside homemade meatballs and green beans, they're just like mashed potatoes, only more figure-friendly! This is especially true if you’re also mindful about your add-ins… I like lots of salt, garlic powder, and some low fat (or fat free) sour cream or greek yogurt. I’ve also been known to add a serving or two of low calorie bottled Alfredo sauce to tie it all together - it makes the texture even more creamy! Blanching the cauliflower in broth instead of water beforehand adds extra delicious flavor too, without any extra calories :)

**Roasted Cauliflower “Buffalo Wings”**

![Vegan-Buffalo-Cauliflower-Wings-horizontal.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRLVxVzrhrfovyEcuaFoQsPffHCiYBCQeMBUDWWx8pu65/Vegan-Buffalo-Cauliflower-Wings-horizontal.jpg)
[Source](http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/vegan-buffalo-cauliflower-wings/)


You can cut up your cauliflower into florets, toss in buffalo wing sauce, and roast until just tender - they’re definitely not chicken, and definitely not wings, but they’re a tasty little snack reminiscent of the real thing but totally guilt free! Did you know that traditional buffalo wings are fried, and the hot sauce they’re tossed in is mixed with butter first? That’s why they’re so rich tasting, and soooo hard on the diet :) serve these little bites with carrot and celery sticks, and lightly dip in low-fat ranch or blue cheese dressing (Bolthouse Farms makes great ones) and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!


**Cauliflower Pizza Crust:**

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmeoNjwMaAfGdHbG7Gt7zcp42s1VMgJycxkpdCmWvRj8rZ/image.png)

You can make this at home, but frankly it’s a lot of work… Worth it? Totally. But not if you can buy it already made for you :) Now I’m seeing more and more mass-produced cauliflower pizza crusts at different grocery stores and even restaurants, but I am aware that California is known to jump on the bandwagon of health trends more quickly than other places! I used to train the co-owner of a cauliflower pizza crust company based right here in Santa Barbara and I LOVE their products - Outer Aisle Gourmet is their company, and I would encourage you to try them if you can get your hands on some! Again, being mindful of your toppings is important - but a lower carb, low fat, lower calorie base for a pizza is a pretty good way to start :)

So now that you know about a few fun ways to use this good-for-you vegetable, make it a staple in your household! 

People out there are getting super creative - and you can too! 

If these ideas appeal to you, give them a quick search online and I guarantee you’ll find not only more specific recipes for these very items, but countless others that I haven’t mentioned! 

Thankfully there are so many blogs and resources out there since healthy food is getting so much more attention these days, so I encourage you to explore - your health will thank you!

Let me know if you try, or have tried, any of these cauliflower treats - or if there are any others you know of that we could all benefit from hearing about!

Please feel free to comment, upvote, or resteem if this floats your boat :)

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