Cauliflower For All
Today, Sara Cabot of Little Lettice offers a primer on cauliflower, including yummy recipes for the whole family:
“Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, which means it comes from the same family as cabbage, broccoli, and kale, but it lacks green chlorophyll because its leaves shield the white florets from the sun. There now are many studies that have shown that cruciferous vegetables can help combat lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and bladder cancer.
I think what puts many people off eating cauliflower is that they don’t know how to cook it. Classic steamed can be a bit boring so below are some ways to spice up the cauliflower in your life! Cauliflower also is a great starter baby food and makes for a delicious supper dish for toddlers and all the family.
RECIPES FOR BABIES & TODDLERS
Pureed Cauliflower (6+ months)
This mild yet slightly nutty flavored vitamin C-packed veggie is perfect for baby. Steam it until soft (but not too soft or the taste will spoil), puree until smooth, and mix with a little breast milk or formula and some baby rice for a very first food. Thereafter you can mix it with any number of other pureed veggies, such as carrot, zucchini, potato, sweet potato, and squash.
Sweet Potato, Garbanzo Bean, & Cauliflower Mash (8+ months)
Once your baby is 8 months s/he needs more iron, which is provided here by the garbanzo beans. This mash provides the added texture your baby needs to get used to lumpier food. You can buy cooked organic garbanzo beans in a can if you don’t have time to soak them overnight and cook them yourself.
Drain garbanzo beans and puree with a little water as needed. Meanwhile, steam the sweet potato and cauliflower for about 15 minutes until tender. Mash veggies and mix in with pureed beans.
Cauliflower Cheese
This English nursery favorite is wonderful as a supper dish, especially for kids who don’t like to drink milk, as it is a good way for kids to get their calcium.
1. Wash and cut up cauliflower into florets. Steam until al dente (not too soft).
2. For the cheese sauce: In a saucepan melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir and cook this ‘roux’ for a few seconds then add 1 cup of milk. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, and then simmer to allow to thicken. Add most of the 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted.
3. Place cooked cauliflower in a dish and cover with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese and put under the broiler until bubbly and brown. Serve on its own or inside a split baked potato.
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Soups are a great way to give babies and toddlers their veggies. Serve with strips of grilled cheese toasties that they can dip in!
In a large saucepan sauté onion, garlic, and celery then add cauliflower. Add stock, bay leaf, bacon (optional), and milk and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bacon and bay leaf and puree in a blender until smooth. Season with salt & pepper.
RECIPES FOR GROWN UPS
Cauliflower Salad
Cauliflower is delicious raw. Simply wash and cut up florets into bite size pieces and mix with any combination of salad ingredients including greens, cucumbers, sliced peppers, tomatoes, and toasted nuts. Then mix the follow dressing to pour over salad.
Healthy Cauliflower Sauté
Turmeric is widely believed to be a healthy spice, especially for men. It is also delicious with cauliflower.
Cut cauliflower into florets. Sprinkle with turmeric. Heat chicken broth in a saucepan on medium and then add cauliflower. Cook rapidly for 5 minutes and serve with salt, pepper and some olive oil.”
Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Comments
Great reading today!
Don't limit those baby/toddler recipes to non-adults.
All of these are delicious for all of us at all ages.
Posted by: Catherine B | February 18, 2009 9:45 AM | Reply to this comment
Cauliflower is great--I really like mashed cauliflower with butter, salt and pepper! Yum!
Posted by: Jennifer B | February 18, 2009 3:11 PM | Reply to this comment