Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower

One of my favorite vegetables is cauliflower. It's very versatile, I use it as rice, raw in salads, boiled, roasted, everything goes with Cauliflower. 

These roasted cauliflower florets are a perfect side for a roasted chicken. 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• salt
• shaved parmesan 
• (capers)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475℉ (250℃).

Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil, and season with the lemon pepper, cumin and salt. Place baking sheet in the oven and cook for 18-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. I like a good caramelization on the cauliflower, so I put them in the oven before the oven is preheated all the way.

Remove cauliflower from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan and some capers (if you have some). Serve immediately while still warm.

Enjoy!

The Danish Version:

Ristet Blomkål

Ingredienser:

• 1 medium blomkål, skåret i buketter
• olivenolie
• 1 tsk citronpeber
• ½ tsk spidskommen
• salt
• høvlet parmesan 
• kapers

Fremgangsmåde:

Varm ovnen op til 250℃.

Kom blomkålsbuketterne i et ovnfast fad i ét lag, eller læg dem spredt på en bareplade. Hæld olivenolien henover. Drys citronpeber, spidskommen of salt på, og vend det hele rundt så alle buketterne er dækkede. (dette kan også gøres i en frysepose før man kommer blomkålen i fadet/på pladen.

Kom blomkålen i ovnen og bag dem i ca 18-25 minutter, vend dem rundt undervejs, så de får en jævn farve. 

Tag blomkålen ud af ovnen og kom parmesan og kapers (hvis du har nogle) henover, og server den straks.

Velbekomme.

Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower

Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower

I was reading this post from Huffpost by Carolyn Berry and this mashed cauliflower sounded so yummy, and  would be a good substitute for the heavy mashed potatoes. I have decided to cut down on my starchy sides at dinner this year. It's not easy, when you have been eating potatoes, rice and pasta with your dinners for decades. But I agree with Carolyn Berry that this mash is so good you won't miss the mashed potatoes. 

The great thing about this mash, you can add what ever taste profile you'll like, by adding sundried tomatoes, chives, leeks, parsley, horseradish, olive oil, feta cheese or goat cheese. I have to try adding some homemade pesto to the mash next time. Basil is my favorite herb, just the smell makes my mouth water.

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, chopped into small florets

• 1 teaspoon chicken base

• 1 cup (125 ml) water (cooking water)

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• ¼ cup plain greek yogurt

• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

• salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

In a medium saucepan, bring water, chicken base, cauliflower, and garlic cloves to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover, allowing to cook for 15-20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender and easily mashed with a fork. Drain the cauliflower well, if not you'll end up with a purée. 

Add the cauliflower, garlic, yogurt and parmesan to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with your favorite protein.

Coconut Cauliflower Rice

Coconut Cauliflower Rice.

December 15th - not feeling very christmasy, maybe because we just got back from a Julefrokost (Danish christmas party). Here's a healthier side for a dinner in december.

After making my Cilantro and Lime Cauliflower Rice, I started thinking on other flavors, I could add to the cauliflower rice. I came up with coconut rice. This could be yummy with a curry dish. 

Regular coconut ice is boiled in the coconut milk, but I don't want to boil the cauliflower, so it becomes soaky. I still want the cauliflower to be crisp.

 Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 shallot, chopped finely
• 1 sprig lemongrass, smashed
• ½ cup coconut milk, the thick part
• ¼ cup toasted shredded coconut
• Salt to taste
• a little lemon zest

Directions:

Break the cauliflower into florets. Grate the cauliflower using a box grater or add florets to food processor and pulse until cauliflower looks like rice. About 10-15 seconds of pulsing.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, melt, then add the onion. Saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the lemongrass, the cauliflower and coconut milk, stirring to combine. Saute the cauliflower for about 8-10 minutes until the coconut milk is adsorbed. Remove the lemongrass.  Season with salt and lemon zest. 

Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top when serving.

The Danish version:

Kokos blomkålsris

Ingredienser:

• 1 blomkålshovede
• 1 tsk kokosolie
• 1 skalotteløg, finthakket
• 1 stilk citrongræs, banket i stykker
• 1½ dl kokoskmælk, den tykke del
• ¾ dl ristet kokosmel 
• salt 
• lidt revet citronskal

Del blomkålen op i buketter og riv den på et rivejerne, eller brug en foodprocessor indtil blomkålen er på størrelse med riskorn.

Opvarm en slipl-et pande og tilsæt kokosolien. Når den er smeltet tilsæt løget og steg det indtil det er bløde, ca. 3 minutter. Tilsæt citrongræs, blomkål og kokosmælk. Sautér i ca 8-10 minutter, indtil kokosmælken er absorberet. Fjern citrongræssen og smag blomkålen til med salt og citronskal.

Drys den ristede kokos på blomkålen, når den serveres.

Cilantro and Lime Cauliflower Rice

Cilantro and Lime Cauliflower rice

I love the cilantro-lime rice from Chipotle, but when I'm trying to cut down on rice and pasta, I need a replacement. For the longest time I've been adding grated and steamed cauliflower to my rice to save calories. But replacing all the rice is new to me. 

You can make cauliflower rice in a lot of ways. You can steep the grated cauliflower in boiling water for a minute, and then drain it. Or nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Or fry the cauliflower up in a skillet. The latter is what I did in this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 head of cauliflower, grated
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• a handful cilantro, chopped
• salt to taste

Directions:

Grate the cauliflower or using a food-processor pulse until cauliflower is rice-sized. Mince  garlic, chop shallot. 

Heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, add oil, shallots and garlic. Sauté until  tender. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the cauliflover and sauté while stirring until it's tender, but still have some bite. Season with salt. Remove from heat, add cilantro, lime zest and juice. Serve immediately.

The Danish version:

Blomkålsris med koriander og lime

Ingredients:

• 1 tsk Olivenolie
• 1 blomkålshovede, revet
• 2 hvidløgsfed, finthakket
• 1 skalotteløg, hakket
• 1 lime, skal og saft
• 1 håndfuld frisk koriander, hakket
• salt

Riv blomkålen, enten på et rivejern eller i en food processor, så blomkålen er på størrelse med riskorn. Hak løg og hvidløg.

Sæt en pande over medium varme. Kom olie, løg og hvidløg i panden, og sautér indtil løgene er gennemsigtige. Skru op for varmen og kom blomkålen i. Steg indtil blomkålen er mør, men der stadig er bid i. Smag til med salt.

Tag blomkålen af varmen og tilsæt koriander, limesaft og -skal.

Server straks. 

Cauliflower and Parmesan Salad.

Cauliflower and Parmesan Salad.

I still get a lot of inspiration from Denmark. I have been watching the danish tv-show "Price Inviterer" where 2 brothers invite danish celebrities to cook with them. It's a show as much about the story behind the person as the food they are making. A few weeks ago I watched the show with Christian Blitz, a Master in Science in Human Nutrition. He served a salad with cauliflower parmesan cheese. I had to try this, the combination sounded so good.

So heres my take on this quick & easy salad. Now there is no excuse for not having a healthy salad as a side tonight.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cauliflower
• parmesan cheese
• 1 glass capers

Dressing: 

• extra virgin olive oil
• lemon juice
• salt & pepper

Directions:

Cut the raw cauliflower and parmesan in very thin slices on a mandolin. Drain the capers. 

Arrange the cauliflower slices on a large plate and put the parmesan on top. Sprinkle with capers. 

Mix the dressing, and pour it over the salad.  

Serve immediately.