BBQ Cauliflower

If you follow various food blogs and magazines on Facebook, I'm sure you've come across pictures of whole 'brain' dishes .. a whole head of cauliflower that's been roasted until tender on the inside and crispy on the top. It makes for a great presentation at a dinner table and tastes great as it is amenable to absorbing flavors from your favorite spices. After years of vacillating, I finally gave it a try today and it turned out lovely. 

Prep Time: 5 min, plus 40-45 min for baking

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. One whole head of Cauliflower (any color).
2. 6 tbsp BBQ Sauce (I used Stubb's)
3. 2 tbsp Hot Sauce (I used Cholula)
4. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim all the leaves from the bottom of a full head of Cauliflower and trim the stem so that the head sits flat. 

Lightly grease the bottom of a cast iron pan with oil (wipe off any excess). Place the cauliflower in the middle and using a kitchen brush (or your hands) cover the surface of the cauliflower with the sauce. 

If you have time, you can also marinade the cauliflower by transferring the head into a gallon ziploc bag, covering with marinade and refrigerating for about half an hour. Instead, I was lazy and just used the brush technique. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and freshly cracked black pepper on top. Place pan in the oven and set the timer to 40 min. At 15 min intervals, remove the pan from the oven and reapply a fresh coat of BBQ/Hot sauce on top. Return to the oven immediately. After all the marinade has been applied, and dried on the surface (~40 min), turn off the oven and turn on the broiler on HI for 2-4 minutes until the top of the cauliflower is crispy and brown. 

Serve over a bed of rice, or greens and slice at the dinner table for maximum presentation! This went over really well in our household!! We served it with Steamed Brown rice, more hot sauce and guacamole to cut some of the heat ... everyone loved it!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 75 (Fat Calories 0)

Total Fat 0 g; Carbohydrates 15.0 g; Fiber 4.5 g; Sugars 7.5 g; Protein 4.5 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Roasted Cauliflower & Spinach Salad

This evening while driving home from work I knew I wanted to use that head of cauliflower in the fridge for dinner. After not cooking cauliflower because of some mistaken notion that it would stink up my house for many many years, I've come to really love the flavor, aroma and taste of simple Roasted Cauliflower. Cut up the florets, toss the cauliflower in a gallon bag with a splash of water and whatever spices you like, toss everything together and then spread it all out on a cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-12 minutes. Umm mmm good!! Here's my standard Roasted Cauliflower recipe. 

As I was dreaming of my roasted cauliflower .. I was also dreaming of my box of baby spinach and the awesome batch of homemade hummus I made the other night! I guess I was hungry :)!!! Soon after getting home, I found a recipe I knew I could adapt to my tastes and preferences (umm no oil!), use the ingredients I'd been dreaming about and have it turn out great!! 

Adapted from: Modern Family Cooking

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 head of Cauliflower (any color, about 2 cups of florets)
2. 1 x 15oz Canned Chickpeas, rinsed and 
3. 4 Mini Cucumbers, sliced (about 1 cup)
4. 1 Bell Pepper (any color, preferably Red or Orange), diced
5. 1/2 cup Quinoa, pre-cooked in water and chilled. 
6. 3 cups Baby Spinach
7. 4 tbsp Homemade Hummus* (plain or roasted red pepper) (or more, to taste)
8. 1/2 cup Cold Water
9. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
10. 3 drops of Liquid Smoke
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Whisk hummus, liquid smoke and 1/2 cup of iced water in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Transfer drained and rinsed chickpeas and cauliflower (cut into small bite-sized florets) into a gallon zip lock bag with nutritional yeast, freshly cracked black pepper and about a third of the thinned out hummus. Close bag and toss everything together until the cauliflower and chickpeas are well coated with the hummus. Transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-12 minutes until the tips of the cauliflower start to caramelize and char. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix diced pepper, baby spinach. sliced cucumbers and quinoa and toss well with hands. Sprinkle liberally with freshly cracked black pepper. Once the cauliflower and chickpeas are ready, remove from oven and set aside for just a minute. Add remaining thinned out hummus to the bowl with greens and quinoa and toss well, top off with roasted veggies, toss and serve immediately. This salad makes 4 side-salad sized servings, or 2 large dinner-sized salad servings! Enjoy!

My Assessment: Tony wants me to make this for our Friendsgiving dinner which we celebrate a weekend after Thanksgiving every year. I guess in my head, hearing that from a self-proclaimed hummus-hater, this recipe is a hit!!! :)

Home-made Hummus*: Blend one can of chickpeas (rinsed & drained) with 1/2 to 2/3 cup water, 2 cloves of garlic, 1-2 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed butter, optional) and 2-3 tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Add more water, as needed to make a smooth paste. Store refrigerated for up to a week. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 205 (Fat Calories 26)

Total Fat 2.9 g; Carbohydrates 37.0 g; Fiber 8.8 g; Sugars 4.0 g; Protein 12.4 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Cilantro Quinoa Khichdi

I hadn't made any Quinoa dinners lately and Tony is a huge fan. He mentioned a few days ago that he'd like some. Then one of my friends on FB posted a picture of a Quinoa and Lentil pilaf that she'd tried for her family. I figured I needed to make that today. I also had a head of white cauliflower that I needed to use this weekend. So I ran a Google search for Quinoa and Lentils and came up with the perfect recipe which used all 3 ingredients that I had on hand. Here's the end result :) Cilantro Quinoa Khichdi

A Khichdi (Kh-itch-dee) is a mildly flavored preparation of lentils and rice, the ultimate comfort food. Variations of the same basic theme (lentils, rice, vegetables) can be found across the entire Indian Subcontinent. Today's preparation excludes the rice, and includes Quinoa instead to up the protein content and lower the carbohydrate content.  

Cilantro Quinoa Khichdi

Adapted from: Food and Wine - Red Quinoa and Lentil Pilaf

Prep Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients (6 Servings): 

1. 1 cup Masoor Dal (whole red lentils, with skin - also called Brown Lentils)
2. 1.25 cup Quinoa
3. 1 Head of Cauliflower, shredded (~2 cups)
4. 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced (~1 cup)
5. 1/2 cup fresh Cilantro leaves (Stems removed)
6. 1 tbsp Garlic
7. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
8. 1 tbsp Ground Cilantro Seeds
9. 1-2 tsp Ground Mustard 
10. 1 tsp Onion powder
11. 1 tsp Garlic powder
12. 1 tsp Turmeric
13. Salt and Pepper, to taste
14. Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions:

Rinse lentils in water and transfer to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water (or home-made vegetable broth), for 1 cup of lentils, add turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Pressure cook under high pressure for at 20 minutes. Allow steam to dissipate on its own. Once all the pressure is dissipated, open, drain lentils and save the excess broth for use later. Cover and set aside. Meanwhile rinse out quinoa in running water (until the water runs clear) and transfer to a stock pot. Add 2.5 cups of water, for 1.25 cups of quinoa. Add 1 tsp each of Garlic and onion powders and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered until quinoa is cooked through and most of the excess water has evaporated. Cover and set aside. 

While the lentils and quinoa are cooking, in a pan large enough to hold everything, add a thin layer of water. Add minced garlic and saute until aromatic. Then add minced onions and a couple of pinches of salt and cook until excess water evaporates and onions are translucent (~3-4 minutes on medium-high). Add cumin seeds, coriander and mustard powders at this stage, toss well and add shredded cauliflower. Reduce heat to medium and cook this mixture together until the excess water has evaporated. Taste test this cauliflower onion mixture for spices and salt and add more of the same 3 spices and salt, as needed, to taste. At this stage, the mixture should taste 'over' spiced. Remember that you're still going to be adding 1 cup of lentils and 1.25 cups of cooked quinoa. Once the mixture is spiced to your taste, add fresh cilantro leaves (saving a couple sprigs for garnishing) and toss well. The warm cauliflower/onion mix will imbibe the essential oils and flavors from the cilantro leaves as they wilt with the heat. Once ready, toss lentils with the cauliflower/onion mix and the add quinoa and toss everything together. If the mixture appears too dry, add some of the saved lentil broth to add moisture to the dish. Serve warm, with freshly cracked black pepper, and more fresh cilantro leaves for garnish.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 201 (Fat Calories 24)
Total Fat 2.6 g; Carbohydrates 39.8 g; Fiber 10.0 g; Sugars 1.9 g; Protein 11.6 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

  

Mummy's Aloo Gobi

I had some store-bought Naan sitting in the fridge and I really wanted to make a nice Subzi to eat with it. Tony usually prefers something wet with his naan, but I knew I wanted a somewhat drier vegetable. The dish I decided on was a great compromise. Moist enough to stick well to the naan and dry enough to not drip while eating. Cauliflower (New Veggie #38) is a seasonal winter vegetable in India and I remember cool winter afternoons when we would eat Aloo Gobi with fresh chapatis, straight off the griddle. Yum! 

Aloo Gobi w Naan

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (2 Servings):

1. 1 head of Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces (~1.5 cups)
2. 1 Idaho Russet Potato, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
3. 1 small Red Onion, diced (~1/3 cup)
4. 1/4 tsp Turmeric
5. 1-2 tsp Ground Cumin
6. 1-2 tsp Ground Coriander Seed
7. 4-6 whole pepper corns
8. 1 tsp dried Cilantro leaves 
9. 1/2 tsp Deggi Chili Powder
10. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Mix diced onions and potato together and dry roast in a pre-heated deep skillet for a few minutes. Add spices, except salt and dried cilantro, and mix well. Add a splash of water, as needed to prevent sticking. Now mix in the cauliflower and add another splash of water. Reduce heat to medium low, cover. Every few minutes, uncover, toss well and test cauliflower. Once fork tender, mix in dried cilantro leaves and add salt to taste. The final dish should be very moist with the potatoes almost crumbly and the onions well mixed into both the potatoes and cauliflower. If it feels dry, add another splash of water and mix well until well blended. Serve with fresh chapatis or warm naan. For an added kick ... sprinkle some Cholula Hot Sauce on top of the dish while still steaming hot!! That stuff kicks this dish by several notches into the world of amazing!! :)

Aloo Gobi w Naan

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 92 (Fat Calories 4)

Total Fat 0.5 g; Carbohydrates 20.7 g; Fiber 3.8 g; Sugars 3.8 g; Protein 3.6 g

Gobi Bhurji w Peas

Gobi (Cauliflower) contains a variety of antioxidants and anti-cancer compounds. It is loaded with 5 of 8 B vitamins as well as Vitamin K. Its loaded with fiber and minerals and electrolytes. If you're interested in learning more about the mighty Cauliflower, see this post for veggie facts. Since reading Chef AJ's Unprocessed I've consumed many a bowl of Cauliflower Rice. Today however, I felt like I needed something Indian. Something to remind me of home. It is Diwali in India. The festival of lights. Its a day of celebration and prayer and good wishes and all things fun. Alas! Cauliflower typically doesn't play a big part in these celebrations but it does remind me of home. I transformed a traditional recipe to the HH way (no oil) and it turned out really well. A Bhurji or Keema is any dish with minced vegetables/meat. This dish contains shredded cauliflower - which is called Gobi in Hindi ... hence the term Gobi Bhurji.   

Gobi Bhurji with Roti

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 small Red Onion, shredded in a food processor
2. 1 head of cauliflower, shredded in a food processor
3. 1/2 cup Frozen Peas
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
6. 2 tsp Coriander Powder
7. 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
8. 2 tsp Garam Masala (optional, I didn't use any)
9. 1 tsp Chili Powder
10. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a skillet on medium heat with water and add minced onions and ginger-garlic paste. As the onions become transparent and ginger-garlic paste becomes fragrant, add frozen peas and mix well. Then add all remaining spices and mix well. Then add shredded cauliflower and toss really well so that the turmeric coats the cauliflower shreds. Cover, keep on medium to medium low heat, and cook until cauliflower is well cooked (~7-10 min). Then, uncover, mix well and cook on medium heat until all the water evaporates.  Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh coriander leaves.  Serve hot with fresh (or frozen if you're lazy like me!) rotis.

My Assessment: Typically, this dish is cooked with quite a fair bit of oil. Since cauliflower absorbs a lot of oil (kind of like potatoes in that respect), at this stage pan roasting it allows it to release the oil. My no-added-fat version was just as tasty in my opinion and did not require any oil. Allowing the water to evaporate from this dish allows it to pan roast, even without oil, and it was just as flavorful and so much less fattening. LOVED IT!!!

Alternate Serving Suggestions:

1. If you don't have rotis available, try eating this dish with hamburger buns or just regular bread, in the form of a sandwich. That's how I plan to eat it for lunch. 
2. If you like a spicy kick, sprinkle a little bit of Sriracha sauce on top, either in your sandwich or even if you're eating it with roti. Yum!  

Gimme More ... Cauliflower Rice

This recipe has become a favorite almost overnight! I tried it a week or so ago with a small cauliflower, and ate leftovers for lunch the next day. I made it again tonight and I have to give it the honor of being Gimme More! I love how quick and effortless it is to prepare (see recipe here), and how little it has in terms of calories. Yet, it is packed with fiber and nutrients. I don't feel guilty eating a second helping. Its way better tasting than any other grain (rice, brown rice, barley, quinoa) and has far less in terms of starch and carbs and goes perfectly with my Quick Stir Fry!! LOVE IT!! I had the rice today with a Chickpea and Shredded Carrot Quick Stir Fry. Um Um Good! And yes, leftovers too!

Gimme More ... Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower Rice w Mushroom Stir-Fry

The primary reason for my going on a plant-based journey was weight loss. I've tried every, each and every, diet plan out there and knew that what I needed was a complete transformation. I've done a post about it before (see here) so I won't go into the gory details. Suffice to say that weight loss doesn't come by eating starchy grain based products like rice and bread. So, I'm always on the lookout for interesting alternatives to the usual starchy grains. In my quest, I've encountered Barley, Brown rice and Quinoa and have to come to enjoy all 3 of these a lot. However, white basmati rice is in my blood and nothing satisfies the Indian palate more than a bowl of white basmati rice with dal. So, when I encountered some posts on the internet about cauliflower rice and how much it tasted like white rice, I knew I absolutely had to try it. I found a super simple recipe on another blog (Delighted Momma) and followed it to the tee (despite my inner devil ;) that really wanted to add shredded onions, or carrots to it!). I paired it with a Quick Stir Fry which is on my 'gimme more' list. I made it today with diced up tofu and baby portabella mushrooms. Also, since I used cauliflower in an entirely new way today, and because I've not added to my new veggie list in a few days - I assigned Cauliflower the honor of being New Veggie #38.

Cauliflower Rice w Quick Stir Fry

Prep Time: 10-12 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 head of white cauliflower
2. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cut cauliflower in small florets, wash and drain. Using a food processor (shredder blade), or a hand-held shredder, shred cauliflower into rice sized grains. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, with a lid. Season with salt and pepper, give it a quick toss. There is no need to add any water, not even a splash as the cauliflower has enough water of its own. Place lid and microwave on high for 6 minutes. Remove, stir and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and leave covered until ready to eat. 

Shredded Cauliflower Rice

My Assessment: I was quite pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted. I have vivid memories of the smell of cauliflower invading the house when mom cooked curries with it (not a pleasant memory either). The cooked rice didn't smell like cauliflower at all. It was a little chewier than white rice but had the same overall texture. I will definitely be making this again - so simple, and so quick! This might soon be on my gimme more list!! I also can't wait to try making rice with all the different colors of cauliflower ... now that could be a cool dish to take to a pot luck ... !! hmm!

Veggie Fact of the Day

Cauliflower is a white, flowering vegetable belonging to the cruciferous family - which also includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, cabbage, and bok choy. 

Cauliflower is very low in calories (26 calories/100 g), and virtually no fat or cholesterol and it is super rich in dietary fiber (2 g/100 g). Cauliflower florets apparently contain several anti-cancer phytochemicals like sulforaphane and plant sterols such as indole-3-carbinol which appears to function as an anti-estrogen agent. Together these compounds have proven benefits against prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer cell growth inhibition, cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. One Canadian study found that eating a half cup of cauliflower per day reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 52%. It also contains Di-indolyl-methane (DIM), a lipid soluble compound that has been found effective as an immune modulator, an anti-bacterial and an anti-viral compound by potentiating Interferon-Gamma receptors and its production.

Fresh cauliflower is excellent source of vitamin C, an excellent antioxidant that boosts immunity and prevents against infections and cancers. It also contains good amounts of many essential B-complex group of vitamins such as folates (B9), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6) and thiamin (B1), niacin (B3) as well as vitamin K. As a source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K, cauliflower can help to prevent chronic inflammation that leads to conditions such as arthritis, chronic pain, and certain bowel conditions. It has also been shown to contain allicin, which has been found to reduce the occurrence of stroke and heart disease. Additionally, cauliflower can help to lower cholesterol levels in the body. It is also good source of minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, calcium and potassium. Manganese is used in the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Potassium is an important intracellular electrolyte helps counter the hypertension effects of sodium. Cauliflower is a great food to include in your diet if you're trying to lose weight because it is low in calories and can be used in a variety of ways. Grated into rice, as intact florets in stir-fries and boiled and mashed in place of mashed potatoes.