Cauliflower in Cream Sauce

I had about three-quarters of a block of tofu sitting in my fridge along with a head of orange cauliflower. I decided to use them both together in a simple dish that came together in under 15 minutes.

Cauliflower in Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 10-15 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 3/4 block (~10oz) of Tofu (Silken would work best, but any texture works). 
2. 1 Head of Cauliflower (~2 cups)
3. 1 cube of Knorr Vegetable Bouillon, or 1 tbsp of your favorite seasoning
4. 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
5. 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
6. 1 cup Almond Milk
7. Salt and Pepper, to taste
8. Sriracha Hot Sauce (optional, to taste)

Directions: 

Cut the head of cauliflower into medium sized florets. Line a pot with water, bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and add florets. Sprinkle with a little salt and cover until tender. Mix remaining ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Drain cauliflower and pour cream sauce on top. It is creamiest when served raw. You can pour the sauce over the cauliflower while still on the stove to warm it up. Note that cooking too long will make the soy solids separate and the sauce becomes a little grainy. It is still pretty smooth on the palate like a cream sauce.  Serve over a baked potato, or steamed rice as an entree. Or serve as a side dish with whatever else you might fancy tonight!! I garnished mine with a lot of freshly cracked black pepper and hot sauce. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 220 (Fat Calories 86)
Total Fat 9.6 g; Carbohydrates 13.3 g; Fiber 6.2 g; Sugars 3.4 g; Protein 20.8 g

Veggie Fact of the Day

Orange Cauliflower - New Veggie #61

Orange Cauliflower - I've previously posted a New Veggie Fact of the Day regarding the Cauliflower. The orange variety, contrary to popular belief, was not made in a lab by crazy scientists and is most definitely colored artificially. The orange color is a result of a natural genetic mutation (discovered in Canada in 1970), which allows the vegetable to hold more beta carotene, or Vitamin A (up to 25 times the level found in its white counterpart). Despite the unique color, the flavor and texture is indistinguishable. Here is a great article about the history of the orange cauliflower that was published in the Saveur Magazine. 

Roasted Cauliflower

I've previously tried purple and white cauliflowers and added them to my new veggie list. I did also try orange cauliflower earlier this year in my quest to try new and interesting veggies but somehow I forgot about adding it to the list. So here it is ... New Veggie #61 - Orange Cauliflower.  

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (2 Servings): 

1. One head of Orange Cauliflower (about 2 cups of florets). 
2. 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
3. 1 tbsp McCormick's Steak Seasoning*
4. 1/2 tsp Smoked Chipotle Pepper powder.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Rinse the cauliflower under running water. Remove stems and cut the head into approximately equal sized pieces. Save any small pieces that fall off as well (don't discard). Rinse the florets under running water in a colandar. Put remaining 3 ingredients in a gallon sized zip-lock bag. Add drained (but still wet) cauliflower pieces, including any small pieces to the bag. Close and toss everything together to evenly coat the cauliflower with the spices. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray (very light, just enough to prevent sticking). Spread large pieces in a single layer and roast uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, turn each piece with a pair of tongs, and return to the over for another 10-12 min. When the second session is about half-way done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the crumbly pieces to the spread those out evenly on the tray. Return to the oven. Roast until the smaller pieces begin to brown and the larger pieces start to caramelize (about 5-6 min). Serve warm, as a side, or as the main dish, with some toasted bread or baguette slices.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories 70.0, Total Fat 0.6g, Total Carbs 10.4g (Dietary Fiber 4.9g, Sugars 3.0g) and Total Protein 8.3g.

My Assessment: For being only 70 calories per serving, we didn't feel guilty having HUGE servings on both our plates. I've always loved cauliflower, as I grew up eating the white variety. My achievement of the day, I made my DH try it and although he has previously almost gagged at the mention of eating cauliflower, he actually liked this preparation and LOVED it!!! :) 

* Ingredients of McCormick's Steak Seasoning, just in case you don't have access to the blend - Coarse (Sea) salt and spices including black and red pepper, garlic, some sunflower oil and a hint of paprika). 

Spanish Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

This recipe is a variation of the original Cauliflower Rice recipe I posted a few weeks ago. While reading Chef AJ's book Unprocessed, I found that she had a recipe for Raw Cauliflower Rice, which was similar to what I had found a few weeks earlier on the internet, but she used an 'Orange' cauliflower instead of the usual white one and called her raw version, Spanish Rice. So I decided to try this modified and 'cooked' version. 

Spanish Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

Prep Time: 10-12 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 head of Orange cauliflower
2. 1/2 Onion, diced finely
3. 2 Portabella Mushrooms, diced
4. 1 tbsp Taco seasoning
5. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Shred cauliflower using a hand-held shredder, or in a food processor. Set aside. Line a large skillet with water and cook onion until it is transparent and cooked down. Then add taco seasoning, and another splash of water, if necessary. Add in Taco seasoning, Salt and Pepper and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until mushrooms have released most of their water, and the whole mixture is about dry. Turn off heat. Add Cauliflower and toss well and the transfer everything to a microwave safe bowl, with a lid. Do not add any water. Cover and microwave on high for 6 minutes. Uncover, toss and microwave on high for another 2 min, if necessary. Remove and leave covered, until ready to eat. I served this as a side with TVP Tacos. Umm Umm Good!