Finally, it’s safe to turn the oven back on. No more heatwave (PLEASE NO MORE!!!) Last week was such a bust of life, I still feel like I am recovering. But let’s not talk about anymore. Lets talk about this cauliflower situation that was a highlight of my week.
I have been meaning to do this for a while now. And I have attempted, I’ll have the intention, get the cauliflower and peppers, then somehow forget that I was going to cook it and just feed it to the mr raw, or he will just start eating at it and then the head is not intact anymore (He loves raw cauliflower). And sure, you don’t need to have a whole head of cauliflower to roast it and enjoy it, but come on, doesn’t it look super badass and pretty whole? And you can slices of it like you would a cake, a really yummy veggie cake. So yeah, it should be a whole head. Anyways, besides being pretty, this thing was freaking amazing. I love cauliflower, roasted cauliflower even more. Add to it some slightly sweet and cheesy pepper sauce, holy ho…I almost ate the entire thing myself. It was everything and more how I wanted it to turn out and am now forever going eat my cauliflower exactly like this (but probably not always). And the sauce…. I am going to make giant jars of it and stick it on everything. So good.
Now lets get to it.
The stuff. A whole head of cauliflower, a couple colorful peppers, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper, and a little bit of olive oil.
Start with the cauliflower, Trim away any big leaves from the bottom and stick the whole head into a oven safe pot big enough to hold it.. Add in a little water and stick on the stove top on medium heat to cook for a few minutes, just to give it a little head start.
And preheat the oven
Pre roasted, slightly streamed cauliflower goes into the oven until a nice golden brown and all pretty like.
While the cauliflower is roasting, roasted the peppers too.I place mine whole onto a lightly oiled cast iron pan* and stick into the oven.
Once the peppers are starting to char and have become soft and tender, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes or long enough for you to handle them. When cooled enough, remove the stem, seeds and any of the skin that is coming off.
*Last year I used the same cast iron pan over and over to rasot peppes and never cleaned it, or bothered to oil it. By the end of the summer, there was a 1/2 inch thick layer of hard as rock caramelized pepper juice that I had to chip it away with a chisel… so yeah. be careful of pepper juice.
Toss the roasted peppers into a food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, a splsh of oil and s little salt and pepper.
And taste.. and try not to eat it all right now (It is so f ing good)
And take that sweet, so delocouis sauce and smother all over the roasted cauliflower.
If you want, stick it back into the oven for a few minutes to crust up a little bit, but not a necessary.You can call it here and go to town.
I stuck in back in the oven for a few minutes… But again, not necessary.
And now you have this giant, amazing, head of delicious cauliflower, waiting to be eaten. I recommend removing the head and sticking it on a cutting board, you know, for easier cutting, and also it looks pretty badass.
Cut into chunks and serve right away.
Goodness gracious was this thing so freaking good!
Have a fantastic day!
-C
1 fresh head of cauliflower
2 red(yellow or orange work too) peppers
2 -3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (the more the cheesier)
4-5 cloves of garlic
juice of a lemon
salt and pepper
olive oil
Take whole head of cauliflower and trim any big leaves or stem off bottom. Stick into a big oven safe pot with about 1/2 inch of water. Place a lid on pot and stick on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until water has evaporated. and cauliflower is slightly tender.
Preheat oven to 425.
After the brief cook on the stove top, remove lid, drizzle cauliflower with a tiny bit of oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Stick into oven without the lid.
Now that the oven is on, toss peppers into oven, either on a baking sheet, pan, or on the rack if you have the space and cook until all roasted and soft (should take about 15 minutes). Remove when cooked and let cool off for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove seeds and stem and any of the skin that want to come off and stick into a food processor. Add in the garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the head of cauliflower is cooked and browned, remove from oven and dump/ smear with the red pepper sauce. If you want, place back into oven for a few more minutes, or not. Good both ways.
Remove from pot and cut into big ass chunks. Garnish with something green and eat until you can’t eat anymore.
If by chance you have any left overs (which I highly doubt) try blending it up as soup. It is freaking fantastic!
Spicy, crispy cauliflower… um yes please. I really like cauliflower. The mister loves it, or at least likes it better than any other vegetable. So when he asked for spicy cauliflower, well yea I am going to make it because I am so nice and really, could I say no to a veggie request? (I might have said no if it involved deep frying) Also, I found fresh cauliflower on sale! ($2.25) I don’t usually cook fresh cauliflower, but I figured at that price, it wouldn’t be bad to cook a head. (If I am cooking cauliflower, which I do a lot, I just use frozen….casue it be waaaay cheaper)
Fresh, cheap and requested veggies….those are must makes. And the mister was happy with I handed him the plate of oh so lovely looking crispy crunchy loveliness. (I kind of like to make him happy…sometimes)
The stuff. Cauliflower, chopped and broken into pieces. Corn meal mixed with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and because I made this for the mister, parmesan cheese. And in the green bowl, srirsachi and a little oil. The cauliflower gets a coat of the hot sauce and then tossed around in the corn meal mixture. Handling as little as possible, place coated pieces on a lightly oiled baking sheet and stick those suckers in the oven for about a half hour, taking them out and flipping half way.And take them out of the oven when pieces tuned golden brown, stik them on a plate, and serve immediately.
A bit of spice, a bit of crispy , a lot a yum. Serve with some crunchy veggies, maybe a squeeze of lemon and definitely some type of avocado situation.
A beer would be lovely too!
Have a fantastic weekend!
-C
Spicy Crispy baked Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, chopped or broken into florets
1/2 cup corn meal
3-4 tablespoon sriracha or your favorite hot sauce
1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
salt and pepper
Any seasonings you might like (garlic or onion powder, parmesan cheese, national yeast…. whatever floats your boat)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a bowl, mix together sriracha and oil. In a separate bowl, mix salt, pepper, any seasonings you might like, and corn meal. Take cauliflower and toss in sauce to coat. Remove from sauce and toss around in cornmeal mixture till fully coated, but try not to hand too much so the coating doesn’t come off. Place pieces on a lightly oiled baking sheet and stick into oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, remove and flip pieces. Back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes (depending on you crispy preference) Remove when golden brown (or darker if you like) and serve immediately.
Cucumber, celery, and carrots are great accompaniments.. also a little mashed avocado or guacamole is much appreciated.
I am such a sucker for the reduced price produce at the grocery store. I save at least half of the original price for stuff that might look a little weird or have a brown spot or something. Sometimes I can’t believe what ends up on in the bin, stuff that I wouldn’t consider reduced bin material, but hey, if they want to stick it in there, then I will be more than happy to buy it. A couple days ago I found some good looking roma tomatoes in that said reduced produce bin..the skins the tiniest bit wrinkled (like I could care less), least hen 50 cents a pound. Um, yea, I bought those and put them to good use.
Tomatoes roasted until they fell apart with a few other chunks of stuff, then piled onto a base of spinach and couscous. This meal cost me pennies and was stupid easy and fast to make. And pretty to boot. Perfect for a quick healthy meal on a busy day or maybe for those people looking for a tasty, not too completed dinner to make for a special someone for Valentines day? Or make just for yourself…its pretty much the perfectly dish. Anyone can get into it. And if you don’t happen to have a grocery store with a reduced produce bin full of tomatoes…it’s cool, you’ll just have to pay full price for the perfect ones.
So simple. A little olive oil in pan. Chunk the tomatoes and throw in pan with the chopped onion, carrot, cauliflower, garlic and chick peas. Drizzle a bit more oil and top with salt and pepper. Give it all a toss and stick into oven. That’s that. Just leave it in there until everything is so nice and soft and falling apart.
One of the best things about couscous is that you don’t even need to dirty a pot or a bowl to make it, just add dried couscous to the bowl you are going to eat out of with a cup of boiling water and a pinch of salt. (I added the spinach with the water too) After about 8 minutes, the couscous absorbs all the water and you just fluff it up with a fork. Easy, freaking Peasy!!! Out of the oven and piled on…..
I mean, if this isn’t one classy looking meal, then I don’t know what is.
Sprinkle with a little parmesan or nutritional yeast if you want and step back and admire. And now eat it to you face.
And barely any dishes to wash. No big mess to clean up. I could get used to that.
-C
Chunky Tomato and Stuff Couscous
Ingredients
Serves 2
3/4 cup Couscous
1 cup boiling water
Handful of chopped spinach
4-5 roma tomatoes chopped
1 medium carrot diced
Half of an onion diced
Cup or so of cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
Cup of prepared chick peas
4 or 5 cloves garlic minced
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400
Place onion, carrot, cauliflower,tomatoes, chick peas and garlic into a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give everything a light toss. Stick into oven for 35-40 minutes until tomatoes are falling apart and everything is nice and roasted.
In a medium bowl, (or serving bowl) add cup of boiling water to dry couscous and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and cover. Let sit for at about 8 minutes, or until the couscous had fully absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and top with roasted tomato stuff.
Top with parmesan or nutritional yeast if you are into it.
Enjoy!
There is a joke about Vermonters, that all we talk about is the weather. Well, it’s kind of true. But to our defense, we get a lot of weather, and it’s always changing and intense and both lovely and crazy and all over. So yeah, we talk. A lot, about the weather. And on that topic, I am trying so hard not to complain, but honestly, I am getting a little sick, both physically and mentally from all of these super, to freaking cold temperatures. Yesterday the high was 0 ( which was at like 2 in the morning) and factor in the windchill, the temp stayed at like 25 below. It f**king sucks. I can’t stay outside for too long or else I will probably die. The dog is having a hard time making it around the block before he gets ice paws, and the mister, well he even started wearing gloves (he wears a sweater all winter and never gets cold…..he is officially cold)
And not only is the cold keeping us all indoors, but its making us all borderline sick. We both have been fighting something for the past few week. The headaches, stuffy nose, chest congestions. The puppy is getting super dry skin and gave himself a hot spot. BLAh!! Ok, enough! No more complaining
Because I do really love the winter and all the pretty snow!!!!
But we are feeling kind of sick so to make us feel oh so much better, a fantastic, super tasty, healing, good for me, good for you, soup. Turmeric ginger carrot… oh man. Made with lots of ginger, turmeric and garlic and finished with a drizzle of raw honey. This soup is exactly what we need. All ingredients scream.. FEEL GOOD, BE WARM AND COZY! Almost everything in it has antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties. The veggies are hearty and heathy and just eating soup helps to keep hydrated. And the best part..it tastes so freaking amazing.
So whether you are feeling a little mah, or just a little hungry.…this soup is where it’s at!
Lots of chopped up carrots, a small onion, a little bit of cauliflower I had left over and a small beet. If you don’t have the cauliflower and or a beet, just use ares pepper or another 2 carrots.. no biggy.
Then we have the fresh ginger ( you can use powdered) turmeric and garlic. All the good healthy spicy and yummy stuff.
I accidentally spilled the turmeric on the counter..but it kind of looks like I might have done it on purpose… yeah, let’s go with that. Chop the garlic and he ginger into chunksAnd toss into the pot to warm and activate. Just a little toasty toast.
And the veggies are roasted and tender and smell so good. It took a lot of will power to not eat the whole pan right there.
I added the roasted veggies and 3 cups water straight into my pot with the spices because I used an emulsion blender. If you are using normal blender, add the veggies, the toasted spices and the water to the blender and blend until smooth. Then transfer to a pot.
Pretty much all blended together….(I left a few big chunks in there to snack on while I was waiting to eat serve…I was really hungry) and let to simmer for a little longer…
And now ladle into a bowl and get ready for a fantastic finish… drizzle a spoonful of raw honey into soup…….so so good. You could add the honey before serving, but heating it kills all the good antibacterial stuff so that’s why we wait. Then I sprinkle some chopped kale and chives. (do it if you want, but not necessary)
Now enjoy. Let the warmth wash over you and feel all those good spices helping to fight the good fight to keep you well and all the yummy to satisfy your hunger.
And lets hope for some warm (above 0!!) weather!
-C
Turmeric Ginger Carrot Soup
Ingredients
5 large carrots
1 small onion
1 small beet*
quarter head cabbage ( or a cup of frozen)*
2-3 teaspoons turmeric
2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger (1/2 teaspoon if using powdered)
4-6 cloves garlic
salt pepper
raw honey (omit if vegan)
* If you don’t have or want to use beet and or the cauliflower, you can use a red pepper, a small sweet potato, or just use a few more carrots.
Chop all veggies into similar sized chunks and toss into a lightly oiled pan or on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Stick in oven at 425 for about 30 minutes or until all veggies are fork tender.
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, toss chopped garlic, ginger and the turmeric and place on medium heat for a few minutes to activate the spices. Add the roasted veggies and 3 cups water to pot (if using emulsion blender) and blend until smooth. If using a blender, add the toasted spices, roasted veggie and 3 cups water and blend until smooth then transfer to a large pot or dutch oven. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to simmer and let cook for an addition 10 minutes.
When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowl and drizzle a spoonful of raw honey into soup. Garnish with fresh chopped kale, chives, cabbage or whatever you want. (or nothing is good too)
I was informed yesterday that if I was going to make tortilla chips, that I better make some sweet ass dips to go with them. I kind of agree… tortilla chips need dip… or better yet, two dips. Queso and guacamole. It’s what needed to be done, and so I did it.
Guacamole is amazing… anything avocado is amazing…this guacamole is amazing. White bean guacamole is amazing. And not that we really care, but this guac is half the fat then straight up guacamole. Plus it’s packed full of protein making it a kind of super duper, must eat all of it, kind of dip. And sweet potato anything will make me happy. Making queso dip with sweet potato and cauliflower is probably one of my best food combos so far. (after eating a butt load, I felt like I was a genius and made an amazing discovery) Again, not that we need it to be, but this is also a fat-free, vegan, gluten-free, super healthy, packed full of B12, fiber and nutrients, dip for all kind of dip.…. just another reason why you cannot feel bad when you finish off half a batch before you get a chance to stick it in a serving bowl. (I might have done that)
Here is what you need for a good time:
−These tortilla chips ….Check.
−Some Chopped Veggies (I want the veggies)…..Check
−Cauliflower Sweet Potato Queso.…Check.
−White Bean Guacamole…Check.
You are now ready for it. It being this party, that party, the Super Bowl, or a Wednesday afternoon.
To the left we have the makings for the cauliflower sweet potato queso.. Steamed cauliflower, a baked sweet potato, nutritional yeast, garlic, and chopped up red onion, red bell pepper and jalapeño. To make all you need to do it take the chopped peppers, onion, and garlic and sauté for a few minutes just to slightly soften and bring out flavors. While that’s going on, take the steamed cauliflower and sweet potato(skin off..but eat it, or save it for soup or feed it to the dog) and puree together with a blender or food processor. Add in nutritional yeast, about a tablespoon or two of hot water and, salt and pepper to taste. Blend for about 5 minutes until super creamy smooth. Add in sautéed stuff and pulse just enough to incorporated the veggies but not complete blend in. Stick in a bowl.
To the right we have white bean guacamole stuff. Two cups (or one can) rinsed white beans, one ripe avocado, a lime, a few cloves of garlic,(I also added a bit of garlic powered…I like my garlic) and some chopped up red onion and tomato. Place beans, garlic, avocado and lime juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste and toss in the chopped tomato and onion. Blend for sec to mix that in…Stick in a bowl
Perfect…
To think that both of these dips took about 10 minutes total to make. (I had pre baked the cauliflower and sweet potato) And for real, I would spend much more time if I had too because both of these dips are so freaking good, I definitely will be making these on the regular.
So there , dips for those sweet ass chips or whatever you want to dip or them spread them on.
And he guys…It’s FRIDAY! Have a fantastic day!
-C
White Bean Guacamole
2 cups white beans (or 1 can) rinsed and drained
1 ripe avocado
3 cloves garlic
1 lime
1/4 small red onion
1 small tomato
1-2 teaspoons salt
Finley chop onion and tomato. Set aside. Place the beans, avocado, garlic, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and the juice from one lime into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a splash of water if needed to help keep things moving. Taste and add more salt if needed. When smooth, add the onion and tomato and pulse a few times to mix in. Scoop into a serving dish and finish with a squeeze of lime and a bit of chopped onion and tomato.
Cauliflower Sweet Potato Queso
1 1/2 cups pre cooked steamed or roasted cauliflower
1 medium pre baked sweet potato
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 a small red pepper
1/4 small red onion
1 jalapeño
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
Finely dice the red pepper, jalapeño, onion and garlic and sauté in a skillet for a few minutes until slightly soften and fragrant. Take the pre-cooked cauliflower, sweet potato (skin removed), and nutritional yeast and place in a blender or food processor. Blend for about 5 minutes until creamy and smooth. Add in a tablespoon of water to keep things moving. When completely smooth, add in sautéed veggies and pulse a few times to combine. Scoop into a serving dish. If your feeling it, top with scallions and cracked pepper.
Serve dips with chips, veggies or anything you want. Also make great spreads for sandwiches and crackers too!
CHILI MONDAY! Well it is, but I am talking about making some super duper, yes I’ll have seconds, tummy filling, bone warming, pumpkin chili.. And heathy oh so healthy to boot. Reals, it’s the best.
This pumpkin chili recipe had evolved over the years. The first time I made pumpkin chili was for my very first dinner party that I threw back in college. Instead of cutting the pumpkin and adding it into the chili, I chopped the little pumpkins in half, roasted them, and used the halves as bowls..A good idea except no one at the pumpkin and I was left with a bunch of slobbered on roasted pumpkin halves. ( I probably should have said something, but being a few drinks in, I didn’t think to say anything about the edible bowls and I don’t think I noticed the abandoned pumpkins until the next morning). After that somewhat failed attempt, I started adding the pumpkin to the chili and left the drinking tip after the food is served. ( I learned so much in college)
But yeah, this recipe has traveled a few years with me and every time I make it, I always think, jeez, why don’t I make this every weekend. Well maybe now I will.
Don’t let this spread scare you.. it’s just veggies from the fridge, a chopped up pie pumpkin and pre soaked beans. Oh and some canned tomato and spices. It took about 10 minutes of hands on time and one big pot. No big mess to clean up and you can get rid of those veggies in the fridge that are on the way out. WIN WIN WIN!
All the chopped veggies, the chopped pumpkin go into the pot with salt. pepper , and spices.( I added a fresh jalapeno and about 5 cloves of garlic to this mixture) Let the mixture sweat for about 5 minutes, giving it a quick stir or two.
Now toss in the beans and the tomatoes… Add a cans worth of water as well. Bring to a boil, then turn to low heat and cover.
A last minute addition.. I added a few chopped up kale leaves. I wanted a little more bright color and adding kale to anything is a good idea.
I added a little sliced avocado to one of the bowls (I only had enough for one) and cut up some lime wedges to squeeze on top. (I did, Nick didn’t)
Best chili I have made in a long time…and yes, there is a bunch of left over which is fantastic because now I have lunch for the next couple days…
HOORAY FOR FOOD!!!
Have a good Monday!
-C
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
small pie pumpkin
2 cups dried beans..I used a 1 1/2 cups black and 1/2 cup kidney or 2 cans of beans
28 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes
1 small onion
1 small
1 carrot
1 /4 head of cabbage
a small broccoli crown
1/4 head of cauliflower
a few kale leaves
1 jalapeño
5 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
salt and pepper
Either the night before or morning of, presoak dried beans..(beans in pot with about 4 cups water and a sprinkle of salt)
Take pumpkin and slice in half, de-seed and chop flesh into little chunks. (You can peel it if you want, but really, there is no reason to) Rough chop all the veggies (minus the kale) and stick into a large pot with the pumpkin. Pot on medium heat.. let the veggies sweat for about five minutes. Now add the garlic and the spices and let cook for a few more minutes.
When the mixture starts to become fragrant… drain, rinse and add presoaked (or canned) beans. Then the tomatoes, and 1 1/2 cans worth of water.
Bring chili to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook for about an hour, giving it a stir every now and then………
Add in chopped kale a few minutes before serving
Serve in a bowl and top with sliced lime, avocado, a sprinkle of cheese….Whatever you want.
What a way to start the day, with a mouth full of c words…….Caraway, cauliflower, chick peas and cabbage…What did you think I meant?
This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly…..nah, it’s been freaking freezing! Yeah, freezing cold. When I woke up this morning to walk the pup, it was 5 degrees. So needless to say, when it gets this cold, I like to keep inside. Tying not to be a complete lazy bones, I went to town on my spices… refilling jars with all the little baggies scattering the kitchen, screwing on lids, and wiping down the shelves. Not a bad accomplishment for a day. While cleaning I came upon a little bag or caraway seeds, Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish.
When I think of the bright, somewhat sweet and peppery caraway, I think cabbage.(anything cabbage and I am sold) A big pan cabbage, added cauliflower for the mister,(his favorite) creamy chick peas because we need protein and they be tasty, and of course mustard, because everything tastes better with mustard.(I’ll let you in on a little secret.I eat a lot of mustard, I am kind of obsessed. Mustards of all kind; grainy, homemade, dijon…but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots…don’t judge) A warm, bright and filling dish, perfect for a freezing cold evening stuck inside. You can eat it as main dish or add a pile of quinoa or wild rice, or even a big plate of greens. What ever say you eat it, you and your stomach will be happy.(If your worries about cabbage bloat..don’t be. Cooking cabbage helps breaks down the enzymes that create gas, plus caraway has anti bloating properties…WIN!)
Cabbage, cauliflower,(fresh of frozen….I used frozen in this recipe) pre-cooked or canned chick peas, caraway seeds, yellow mustard, and salt..(I added pepper too)
Chop the cabbage and toss into a lightly oiled pan with the rest of the stuff. Heat pan with everything but water for a couple of minutes.. to warm the caraway and give everything a cooking head start, then add the water. Stick a lid on it and let simmer. After about 15 minutes, give it a stir or two and do a taste test. At this point, it’s up to you…how cooked you want the veggies? I kept mine cooking for another 10 minutes. I also added another 1/2 cup of water. Not enough water and the pan will burn, a little extra water is good, it creates a yummy broth.
When you are happy with the flavor and doneness, eat it. I made myself a bowl with a heap of pickled beets(holy yes!). I am sorry if you don’t have any pickled beets, but the dish is still amazing without them. Fresh ground pepper really does the trick too!
So there you go, make it tonight, it will make you warm,smart and happy
-C
Cabbage Cauliflower and Chick Pea Braised with Caraway and Mustard
Ingredients
1/2 small head of green cabbage(about 2 cups chopped)
2 cups cauliflower(fresh or frozen)
1 cup cooked chick peas
1 1/2 -2 cups water
1 tablespoon caraway seed
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Lightly oil a medium sized skillet and add all ingredients except water. Heat for a few minutes to warm up veggie and caraway seeds then add a 1 1/2 cups of water. Keep on medium heat with a lid and stir on occasion If water evaporates completely out, add another 1/2 cup. Food is do when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes….but whenever tastes best to you!
THE LOVELY CRAZY
September 8, 2015 by maximios • Blog
Finally, it’s safe to turn the oven back on. No more heatwave (PLEASE NO MORE!!!) Last week was such a bust of life, I still feel like I am recovering. But let’s not talk about anymore. Lets talk about this cauliflower situation that was a highlight of my week.
I have been meaning to do this for a while now. And I have attempted, I’ll have the intention, get the cauliflower and peppers, then somehow forget that I was going to cook it and just feed it to the mr raw, or he will just start eating at it and then the head is not intact anymore (He loves raw cauliflower). And sure, you don’t need to have a whole head of cauliflower to roast it and enjoy it, but come on, doesn’t it look super badass and pretty whole? And you can slices of it like you would a cake, a really yummy veggie cake. So yeah, it should be a whole head. Anyways, besides being pretty, this thing was freaking amazing. I love cauliflower, roasted cauliflower even more. Add to it some slightly sweet and cheesy pepper sauce, holy ho…I almost ate the entire thing myself. It was everything and more how I wanted it to turn out and am now forever going eat my cauliflower exactly like this (but probably not always). And the sauce…. I am going to make giant jars of it and stick it on everything. So good.
Now lets get to it.
The stuff. A whole head of cauliflower, a couple colorful peppers, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper, and a little bit of olive oil.
Start with the cauliflower, Trim away any big leaves from the bottom and stick the whole head into a oven safe pot big enough to hold it.. Add in a little water and stick on the stove top on medium heat to cook for a few minutes, just to give it a little head start.
And preheat the oven
Pre roasted, slightly streamed cauliflower goes into the oven until a nice golden brown and all pretty like.
While the cauliflower is roasting, roasted the peppers too.I place mine whole onto a lightly oiled cast iron pan* and stick into the oven.
Once the peppers are starting to char and have become soft and tender, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes or long enough for you to handle them. When cooled enough, remove the stem, seeds and any of the skin that is coming off.
*Last year I used the same cast iron pan over and over to rasot peppes and never cleaned it, or bothered to oil it. By the end of the summer, there was a 1/2 inch thick layer of hard as rock caramelized pepper juice that I had to chip it away with a chisel… so yeah. be careful of pepper juice.
Toss the roasted peppers into a food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, a splsh of oil and s little salt and pepper.
And taste.. and try not to eat it all right now (It is so f ing good)
And take that sweet, so delocouis sauce and smother all over the roasted cauliflower.
If you want, stick it back into the oven for a few minutes to crust up a little bit, but not a necessary.You can call it here and go to town.
I stuck in back in the oven for a few minutes… But again, not necessary.
And now you have this giant, amazing, head of delicious cauliflower, waiting to be eaten. I recommend removing the head and sticking it on a cutting board, you know, for easier cutting, and also it looks pretty badass.
Cut into chunks and serve right away.
Goodness gracious was this thing so freaking good!
Have a fantastic day!
-C
Take whole head of cauliflower and trim any big leaves or stem off bottom. Stick into a big oven safe pot with about 1/2 inch of water. Place a lid on pot and stick on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until water has evaporated. and cauliflower is slightly tender.
Preheat oven to 425.
After the brief cook on the stove top, remove lid, drizzle cauliflower with a tiny bit of oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Stick into oven without the lid.
Now that the oven is on, toss peppers into oven, either on a baking sheet, pan, or on the rack if you have the space and cook until all roasted and soft (should take about 15 minutes). Remove when cooked and let cool off for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove seeds and stem and any of the skin that want to come off and stick into a food processor. Add in the garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the head of cauliflower is cooked and browned, remove from oven and dump/ smear with the red pepper sauce. If you want, place back into oven for a few more minutes, or not. Good both ways.
Remove from pot and cut into big ass chunks. Garnish with something green and eat until you can’t eat anymore.
If by chance you have any left overs (which I highly doubt) try blending it up as soup. It is freaking fantastic!
Fresh, cheap and requested veggies….those are must makes. And the mister was happy with I handed him the plate of oh so lovely looking crispy crunchy loveliness. (I kind of like to make him happy…sometimes)
A bit of spice, a bit of crispy , a lot a yum. Serve with some crunchy veggies, maybe a squeeze of lemon and definitely some type of avocado situation.
A beer would be lovely too!
Have a fantastic weekend!
-C
Spicy Crispy baked Cauliflower
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a bowl, mix together sriracha and oil. In a separate bowl, mix salt, pepper, any seasonings you might like, and corn meal. Take cauliflower and toss in sauce to coat. Remove from sauce and toss around in cornmeal mixture till fully coated, but try not to hand too much so the coating doesn’t come off. Place pieces on a lightly oiled baking sheet and stick into oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, remove and flip pieces. Back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes (depending on you crispy preference) Remove when golden brown (or darker if you like) and serve immediately.
Cucumber, celery, and carrots are great accompaniments.. also a little mashed avocado or guacamole is much appreciated.
Tomatoes roasted until they fell apart with a few other chunks of stuff, then piled onto a base of spinach and couscous. This meal cost me pennies and was stupid easy and fast to make. And pretty to boot. Perfect for a quick healthy meal on a busy day or maybe for those people looking for a tasty, not too completed dinner to make for a special someone for Valentines day? Or make just for yourself…its pretty much the perfectly dish. Anyone can get into it. And if you don’t happen to have a grocery store with a reduced produce bin full of tomatoes…it’s cool, you’ll just have to pay full price for the perfect ones.
Sprinkle with a little parmesan or nutritional yeast if you want and step back and admire. And now eat it to you face.
And barely any dishes to wash. No big mess to clean up. I could get used to that.
-C
Chunky Tomato and Stuff Couscous
Ingredients
Serves 2
Preheat oven to 400
Place onion, carrot, cauliflower,tomatoes, chick peas and garlic into a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give everything a light toss. Stick into oven for 35-40 minutes until tomatoes are falling apart and everything is nice and roasted.
In a medium bowl, (or serving bowl) add cup of boiling water to dry couscous and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and cover. Let sit for at about 8 minutes, or until the couscous had fully absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and top with roasted tomato stuff.
Top with parmesan or nutritional yeast if you are into it.
Enjoy!
And not only is the cold keeping us all indoors, but its making us all borderline sick. We both have been fighting something for the past few week. The headaches, stuffy nose, chest congestions. The puppy is getting super dry skin and gave himself a hot spot. BLAh!! Ok, enough! No more complaining
Because I do really love the winter and all the pretty snow!!!!
But we are feeling kind of sick so to make us feel oh so much better, a fantastic, super tasty, healing, good for me, good for you, soup. Turmeric ginger carrot… oh man. Made with lots of ginger, turmeric and garlic and finished with a drizzle of raw honey. This soup is exactly what we need. All ingredients scream.. FEEL GOOD, BE WARM AND COZY! Almost everything in it has antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties. The veggies are hearty and heathy and just eating soup helps to keep hydrated. And the best part..it tastes so freaking amazing.
So whether you are feeling a little mah, or just a little hungry.…this soup is where it’s at!
Lots of chopped up carrots, a small onion, a little bit of cauliflower I had left over and a small beet. If you don’t have the cauliflower and or a beet, just use ares pepper or another 2 carrots.. no biggy.
Then we have the fresh ginger ( you can use powdered) turmeric and garlic. All the good healthy spicy and yummy stuff.
And now ladle into a bowl and get ready for a fantastic finish… drizzle a spoonful of raw honey into soup…….so so good. You could add the honey before serving, but heating it kills all the good antibacterial stuff so that’s why we wait. Then I sprinkle some chopped kale and chives. (do it if you want, but not necessary)
Now enjoy. Let the warmth wash over you and feel all those good spices helping to fight the good fight to keep you well and all the yummy to satisfy your hunger.
And lets hope for some warm (above 0!!) weather!
-C
Turmeric Ginger Carrot Soup
Ingredients
* If you don’t have or want to use beet and or the cauliflower, you can use a red pepper, a small sweet potato, or just use a few more carrots.
Chop all veggies into similar sized chunks and toss into a lightly oiled pan or on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Stick in oven at 425 for about 30 minutes or until all veggies are fork tender.
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, toss chopped garlic, ginger and the turmeric and place on medium heat for a few minutes to activate the spices. Add the roasted veggies and 3 cups water to pot (if using emulsion blender) and blend until smooth. If using a blender, add the toasted spices, roasted veggie and 3 cups water and blend until smooth then transfer to a large pot or dutch oven. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to simmer and let cook for an addition 10 minutes.
When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowl and drizzle a spoonful of raw honey into soup. Garnish with fresh chopped kale, chives, cabbage or whatever you want. (or nothing is good too)
Guacamole is amazing… anything avocado is amazing…this guacamole is amazing. White bean guacamole is amazing. And not that we really care, but this guac is half the fat then straight up guacamole. Plus it’s packed full of protein making it a kind of super duper, must eat all of it, kind of dip. And sweet potato anything will make me happy. Making queso dip with sweet potato and cauliflower is probably one of my best food combos so far. (after eating a butt load, I felt like I was a genius and made an amazing discovery) Again, not that we need it to be, but this is also a fat-free, vegan, gluten-free, super healthy, packed full of B12, fiber and nutrients, dip for all kind of dip.…. just another reason why you cannot feel bad when you finish off half a batch before you get a chance to stick it in a serving bowl. (I might have done that)
Here is what you need for a good time:
−These tortilla chips ….Check.
−Some Chopped Veggies (I want the veggies)…..Check
−Cauliflower Sweet Potato Queso.…Check.
−White Bean Guacamole…Check.
You are now ready for it. It being this party, that party, the Super Bowl, or a Wednesday afternoon.
To the left we have the makings for the cauliflower sweet potato queso.. Steamed cauliflower, a baked sweet potato, nutritional yeast, garlic, and chopped up red onion, red bell pepper and jalapeño. To make all you need to do it take the chopped peppers, onion, and garlic and sauté for a few minutes just to slightly soften and bring out flavors. While that’s going on, take the steamed cauliflower and sweet potato(skin off..but eat it, or save it for soup or feed it to the dog) and puree together with a blender or food processor. Add in nutritional yeast, about a tablespoon or two of hot water and, salt and pepper to taste. Blend for about 5 minutes until super creamy smooth. Add in sautéed stuff and pulse just enough to incorporated the veggies but not complete blend in. Stick in a bowl.
To the right we have white bean guacamole stuff. Two cups (or one can) rinsed white beans, one ripe avocado, a lime, a few cloves of garlic,(I also added a bit of garlic powered…I like my garlic) and some chopped up red onion and tomato. Place beans, garlic, avocado and lime juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste and toss in the chopped tomato and onion. Blend for sec to mix that in…Stick in a bowl
So there , dips for those sweet ass chips or whatever you want to dip or them spread them on.
And he guys…It’s FRIDAY! Have a fantastic day!
-C
White Bean Guacamole
Finley chop onion and tomato. Set aside. Place the beans, avocado, garlic, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and the juice from one lime into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a splash of water if needed to help keep things moving. Taste and add more salt if needed. When smooth, add the onion and tomato and pulse a few times to mix in. Scoop into a serving dish and finish with a squeeze of lime and a bit of chopped onion and tomato.
Cauliflower Sweet Potato Queso
Finely dice the red pepper, jalapeño, onion and garlic and sauté in a skillet for a few minutes until slightly soften and fragrant. Take the pre-cooked cauliflower, sweet potato (skin removed), and nutritional yeast and place in a blender or food processor. Blend for about 5 minutes until creamy and smooth. Add in a tablespoon of water to keep things moving. When completely smooth, add in sautéed veggies and pulse a few times to combine. Scoop into a serving dish. If your feeling it, top with scallions and cracked pepper.
Serve dips with chips, veggies or anything you want. Also make great spreads for sandwiches and crackers too!
This pumpkin chili recipe had evolved over the years. The first time I made pumpkin chili was for my very first dinner party that I threw back in college. Instead of cutting the pumpkin and adding it into the chili, I chopped the little pumpkins in half, roasted them, and used the halves as bowls..A good idea except no one at the pumpkin and I was left with a bunch of slobbered on roasted pumpkin halves. ( I probably should have said something, but being a few drinks in, I didn’t think to say anything about the edible bowls and I don’t think I noticed the abandoned pumpkins until the next morning). After that somewhat failed attempt, I started adding the pumpkin to the chili and left the drinking tip after the food is served. ( I learned so much in college)
But yeah, this recipe has traveled a few years with me and every time I make it, I always think, jeez, why don’t I make this every weekend. Well maybe now I will.
HOORAY FOR FOOD!!!
Have a good Monday!
-C
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
Either the night before or morning of, presoak dried beans..(beans in pot with about 4 cups water and a sprinkle of salt)
Take pumpkin and slice in half, de-seed and chop flesh into little chunks. (You can peel it if you want, but really, there is no reason to) Rough chop all the veggies (minus the kale) and stick into a large pot with the pumpkin. Pot on medium heat.. let the veggies sweat for about five minutes. Now add the garlic and the spices and let cook for a few more minutes.
When the mixture starts to become fragrant… drain, rinse and add presoaked (or canned) beans. Then the tomatoes, and 1 1/2 cans worth of water.
Bring chili to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook for about an hour, giving it a stir every now and then………
Add in chopped kale a few minutes before serving
Serve in a bowl and top with sliced lime, avocado, a sprinkle of cheese….Whatever you want.
This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly…..nah, it’s been freaking freezing! Yeah, freezing cold. When I woke up this morning to walk the pup, it was 5 degrees. So needless to say, when it gets this cold, I like to keep inside. Tying not to be a complete lazy bones, I went to town on my spices… refilling jars with all the little baggies scattering the kitchen, screwing on lids, and wiping down the shelves. Not a bad accomplishment for a day. While cleaning I came upon a little bag or caraway seeds, Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish.
When I think of the bright, somewhat sweet and peppery caraway, I think cabbage.(anything cabbage and I am sold) A big pan cabbage, added cauliflower for the mister,(his favorite) creamy chick peas because we need protein and they be tasty, and of course mustard, because everything tastes better with mustard.(I’ll let you in on a little secret.I eat a lot of mustard, I am kind of obsessed. Mustards of all kind; grainy, homemade, dijon…but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots…don’t judge) A warm, bright and filling dish, perfect for a freezing cold evening stuck inside. You can eat it as main dish or add a pile of quinoa or wild rice, or even a big plate of greens. What ever say you eat it, you and your stomach will be happy.(If your worries about cabbage bloat..don’t be. Cooking cabbage helps breaks down the enzymes that create gas, plus caraway has anti bloating properties…WIN!)
So there you go, make it tonight, it will make you warm,smart and happy
-C
Cabbage Cauliflower and Chick Pea Braised with Caraway and Mustard
Ingredients
Lightly oil a medium sized skillet and add all ingredients except water. Heat for a few minutes to warm up veggie and caraway seeds then add a 1 1/2 cups of water. Keep on medium heat with a lid and stir on occasion If water evaporates completely out, add another 1/2 cup. Food is do when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes….but whenever tastes best to you!