Wednesday, February 13, 2013

An Ode to Cauliflower

Cauliflower is the new "in food". Have you noticed?  I really couldn't be happier about this new trend of using cauliflower for just about anything and everything.  It certainly beats some of the latest food trends of coconut oil, and agave nectar.  Not that they are bad, but cauliflower is one of those foods/vegetables that not many people even thought twice about before last year. Don't you think? Now people have finally realized just how delicious it can be!  I like trends that cause people to try new, healthy foods.

INSTAGRAM!  When I was growing up we only had white cauliflower, now there are rainbows of options!

Everywhere I look, I see recipes for cauliflower.  It's really no wonder; It's crunchy when raw, blends in perfectly to so many dishes, and has an impressive list of health benefits (like all of the cruciferous vegetables).  And just recently the New York Times Well Blog posted an article with some great recipe ideas, stemming from the author's trip to Sicily, where apparently cauliflower is a favorite vegetalbe (who knew!?!).  So, why is it that I can't eat it? In fact, as a deccendent of Italy I find it strange that foods like onion, garlic, tomato sauces, and...cauliflower, are denied by my body.  Ok, so I'm not 100% italian, basically more like 25%, but still, most of my family get togethers are filled with Italian fare, and now that I have married a fellow Italian, I can't escape it!  At one time during my low-FODMAPs life, I thought not being able to eat garlic and onion was hard, but lately I've found that my desire to eat cauliflower is consuming my brain.  I can't eat it because......well.....let the app show you; 

Source: The Monash University Low FODMAPs Diet App

Yeah, cauliflower contains polyols, which are sugars alcohols that people like me, with IBS, tend to malabsorb (and you probably do too, but you may not be quite as sensitive).  It's not simply the case of "I want what Ican't have", I've always enjoyed cauliflower.  But never has cauliflower been an integral part of so many amazing recipes, and never has it been so popular in the blog and food world!  See for yourself....



Joy Bauer's Tandoori Cauliflower



This blogger posted a Loaded Cauliflower Casserole


The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food and Nutrition Magazine had a great recipe for cauliflower pizza crust 




Pinterest is filled to the brim with cauliflower recipes.  I want to eat them all.





Mother Rimmy; Mock Potato Salad


Lately I've been seeing recipes galore for cheesy garlic cauliflower bread sticks!








I want to try them all.  I want to have a cauliflower PARTY!  But....I can't.  Feel bad for me.   Do me a favor and make at least one of these recipes, and think about me as you're enjoying every last tasty and healthy morsel.


QUESTION:  What's your favorite recipe with cauliflower?  Share it in the comment section, if you'd like.




Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd
NOTE: I love comments!  But, be sure to come back to read any replies to questions or comments, as they do not go directly to your e-mail.




11 comments :

  1. wow! i always forget about cauliflower- this reminds me how much I do love this great food!

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  2. When I first saw cauliflower was a trend, I was like "what? a veggie is a trend?" Yet, the way you look at it makes total sense - why NOT have a trend centered around a vegetable rather than an oil or sugar? Yes! :)

    I do feel bad for you - and for myself, too! I rarely eat cauliflower because it also gives me trouble, but it's hard to resist sometimes! Luckily, there are other veggies we can eat without problems :)

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    1. Exactly, there are plenty of delicious veggies we can still eat :) Sometimes I just REALLY want the things I can't have. Fancy that, right?!

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  3. I like my cauliflower just steamed with some S&P!

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  4. I love cauliflower and especially love the purple and orange colors! My favorite way is to buy both colors, floret them and roast them with a bit of olive oil and salt and lemon. SO good! Now...I want some!

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  5. Oh! I want to try that pizza crust. Then maybe I wouldn't feel so bad if pizza became a weekly routine...I also love baked cauliflower. With the right seasonings, it becomes addicting like french fries.

    But seriously, the craziest thing I heard the other day is about this new cauliflower "steak" trend. Restaurants are charging upwards of $25 to get a cauliflower steak!

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  6. I LOVE cauliflower! When Ryan used to go out of town for work, I'd often just eat an entire head of roasted cauliflower for dinner. Yeah, had to clear out the house for that one, ha! :-)

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  7. I keep seeing recipes for cauliflower pizza crust so I guess I need to try one! I usually just oven roast my cauliflower with olive oil and herbs. Simple but delicious.

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  8. I love cauliflowers! It's so versatile! I like to make fake potato puree with cheese, add to oatmeal and the best of all add to stir fries because it's super crunchy! :)

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  9. Cauliflowers remind me of my wife. She loves them so much especially when roasted with olive oil and herbs.

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