cauliflower guide

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Cruciferous vegetables are my absolute favorite, so cauliflower is always in my diet rotation. Other than being a great ingredient to use as a substitute for carbs, cauliflower contains vitamin C, vitamin K, omega-3 fatty acids, biotin and more. This vegetable is a huge source for a variety of necessary vitamins and minerals that are important to have in your diet.

Like I said, cauliflower is chock-full of amazing benefits and it’s a vegetable I consume almost daily. It also reduces risk of cancer, boosts brain health, lowers cholesterol, reduces risk of diabetes and fights inflammation. Consuming 100 grams of cauliflower provides you with 80% of your daily vitamin C needs to not just support your immune system, but also aid tissue growth.

Unlike a lot of vegetables, you can find cauliflower in a variety of colors: white is the most common, but there’s also green, orange and purple cauliflower. It’s such a fun ingredient to cook with because it can make your plate so colorful. You can keep it simple and roast cauliflower florets with a variety of spices for the perfect side dish. Cauliflower is extremely versatile and mild in flavor and texture, which allows you to experiment with it!. I’ve prepared 4 of my favorite cauliflower recipes to share with you. Cauliflower is in season in the colder months, so I love these heartier, more comforting recipes this time of year.

Cauliflower Recipes

Collagen Cauliflower Smoothie Bowl

I love smoothies because they’re refreshing, easy to make, and you can load them with veggies and not even notice the difference. But they don’t always keep me full and I notice I’m hungry way too early in the day. This smoothie bowl has enough protein, substance and toppings to keep me full for hours. If you’re like me and the tone of your day is dictated by your breakfast, do yourself a favor and blend up this dreamy blue bowl with a cookie crumble + cashew butter drizzle.

CollagenCauliflowerBowl
Recipe
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower (first steamed, then frozen)
  2. 2 scoops collagen peptides
  3. 2 tbsp cashew butter
  4. 1 big scoop of coconut butter
  5. 3/4 cups frozen organic blueberries
  6. 3/4 cup almond milk
  7. 1 small scoop nut based yogurt (I like Kite Hill)
  8. Dash of organic cinnamon
  9. Bowl toppings of choice, I like shredded coconut, chia seeds, crumbled vanilla Bulletproof bar + cashew butter drizzle.
Directions
  1. Blend ingredients in a blender for 2 - 3 minutes on high.
  2. Pour into bowl and top with shredded coconut, chia seeds, crumbled vanilla Bulletproof bar. Drizzle with cashew butter and enjoy immediately!

Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice Taco Bowl

There's nothing better than a big veggie bowl for lunch to give you that mid-day push. This is a low carb, veggie alternative to your classic taco bowl with a twist. I love the combination of coconut, lime and cilantro all together, and it compliments the cauliflower so well. #ProTip: make a big batch for dinner and bring for your lunch the next day!

Cauliflower Taco Bowl
Recipe
Ingredients
  1. 1 head of cauliflower
  2. Cilantro
  3. Coconut Oil
  4. 1 lime
  5. Black beans
  6. Chopped tomatoes
  7. Cilantro
  8. Avocado
  9. Salt & pepper to taste
  10. Cashew crema from the cashew guide.
Directions
  1. Trim the cauliflower florets, cut away as much of the stem as possible.
  2. Put into food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles rice. Chop cilantro and mix in with the cauliflower rice.
  3. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add rice/cilantro mixture to the skillet and squeeze 1/2 of a lime into the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, stirring while cooking.
  4. Once the rice is done, put into a bowl and top with black beans, chopped tomatoes, and avocado. Drizzle with cashew crema.

Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower steaks sound fancier and more complicated than they are. They're versatile, easy to make and are a great meat substitute. Simply slice a large head of cauliflower into about 1/2 inch - 1 inch pieces, and roast in the oven. Because it's so mild, you can pair any flavor with the cauliflower, making them the ultimate vegetarian main dish.

cauliflowersteak
Recipe
Ingredients
  1. 1 head of cauliflower (color doesn't matter)
  2. 2 lemons
  3.  4 tbsp tahini
  4. 1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
  5. Salt & pepper to taste
  6. Red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
  1. Combine ingredients in a bowl, mix well.

Curry Pickled Cauliflower

Do you ever over-shop at the grocery store and then on Thursday night you realize how much food you haven't eaten that's about to go bad? I do this all the time. I find that the best thing to do with my leftover veggies is to pickle them. Often times I have an extra head of cauliflower or leftover florets that are about to expire, so I just throw them in a mason jar with some brine which gives me salad/bowl toppings for the next couple of weeks!

currycauliflower
Recipe
Ingredients
  1. Brine
    1. 2/3 cups water
    2. 1/3 cup vinegar
    3. 1 1/2 tbsp pure cane sugar
    4. 1 tbsp salt
    5. 1/2 tsp curry powder
    6. 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
    7. 1/4 tsp turmeric
  2. Pickle Ingredients
    1. 1 head of cauliflower
    2. 1/2 tsp kosher salt
    3. 2 green cardamom pods
    4. 1 bay leaf
Directions
  1. Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot and simmer over low heat, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Let cool to room temp.
  2. Trim cauliflower into bite sized florets, toss with salt and let sit for 20 - 30 min, then rinse.
  3. Put pickling ingredients into the mason jar, follower with the cauliflower. Press to make sure it's tightly packed!
  4. Pour in the brine and leave about 1/2 inch room in the jar.
  5. Seal and shake to disperse the spices. Refrigerate for a week before eating.