I've Changed My Mind about Cauliflower

(Source: Brock Davis)

I've skirted cauliflower in the past -- always gravitating towards its "brother from another mother" (i.e., broccoli).

Well, life changed this weekend.  I discovered that cauliflower can be morphed into delicious things with more nutrients & fewer calories (1 point for Tamara)

I've been missing out.

Exhibit A: Cauliflower Soup.

Alan & I bought the terminator of cooking machines with a referral bonus from work.  It's called the Thermomix -- French-designed and German-engineered (thankfully, not the other way around).  It does 23 things in one machine.  Yes, it's likely also sold on the Home Shopping Network.

Anyways, I rocked a creamy cauliflower soup this weekend in under 30 minutes.  It reminded me a bit of polenta (or a "sister from a higher fat mister").  In case you bought the same crazy gadget, here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 30 g parmesan
• 600 g water
• 800 g cauliflower
• 20 g oil
• 2 tsp flour
• 20 g butter
• salt to taste

Steps:

• Grate parmesan (10-15 sec on speed 8) & put aside
• Place water, cauliflower & salt in TM bowl.  Cook for 15 min, Speed 1, 100*C
• Add flour, oil & butter.  Cook for 5 min, Speed 1, 100*C
• Blend for 1 minute by slowly moving from speed 1 to speed 8
• BOOM.  Taste your low-fat polenta (and sprinkle on some parmesan for being so good)

Exhibit B: Pizza crust.  

I've pledged to be healthy this week after a decadent trip to Sydney (see example here).  This means lots of veggies, fish, fruit, legumes and nuts.  It also mean no breads, meats or desserts (bye, bye Messina).

To fix a craving for pizza, I tried this recipe out from The Lucky Penny.  It was awesome, so awesome I ate the whole pizza myself (that might have defeated the purpose, oh well).  Since the crust already includes cheese, I topped mine with basil, tomato and mushroom instead (next time, I might try some balsamic).