5 Unique Ways To Prepare Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a popular vegetable these days, which is understandable given its versatility. Even better, it's incredibly nutritious: the white bunches are high in fiber and potassium, it's low in fat and sodium, and one cup contains only 25 calories and 85 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

Cauliflower may be roasted, mashed, or added to soups and casseroles in a limitless variety of ways.

Herb-Crusted Cauliflower Steak with Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce

INGREDIENTS USED:

For the steaks:

• 1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

For the steaks:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. To keep the florets together, slice the cauliflower into 3/4-1 inch thick steaks, leaving the stem intact. 
3. Trim a few florets from either side of the steaks to allow them to rest flat on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
4. 1 teaspoon olive oil on each side of the steaks (use 2 teaspoons of oil total for each steak). Season the steaks with rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to taste on both sides.
5. Cook for 30 minutes in the oven, or until the thickest part of the steak is tender. Remove the pan from the oven and preheat the broiler.
6. Place steaks under the broiler for 30 seconds to one minute to achieve a char. While the steaks cook, prepare the sauce.

For the sauce:

1. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
2. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the shallots and garlic are fragrant.
3. Cook the mushrooms for 5-7 minutes, or until they have released the water, shrunk in size, and become tender. 
4. Season with salt, rosemary, and pepper according to taste.
5. Simmer for 3 minutes after adding the red wine. Serve over the warm cauliflower steaks right away.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

INGREDIENTS USED:

• 1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
• Pinch of salt

PREPARATION METHOD:

1. Place cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor and process until it is in fine, rice-like pieces. Measure out 4 cups of this cauliflower "rice." Fill a large pot of water with a couple inches of water and bring it to a boil. Add the measured cauliflower "rice" and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Drain into a fine mesh strainer and let cool slightly. Then transfer into the center of a clean, thin cotton dish towel. Wrap the towel up around the cauliflower "rice" and twist the top. Squeeze the cauliflower "rice" in the towel to remove all the water. This step is very important—if you skip it, the water will not be removed and you will end up with a soggy crust.
   
   
3. In a large bowl, mix the dry cauliflower "rice," egg, cream cheese, herb blend, and salt using your hands until well combined.
   
   
4. Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment (not wax!) paper into a 1/3-inch thick rectangle.
   
   
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is firm and golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with your favorite pizza toppings. Then put back into the 400 degree F oven and bake another 5 minutes or so until everything is warmed through and cheese is melted.

Cauliflower Cheese Bread

INGREDIENTS USED:

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups mozzarella (shredded and divided)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• Optional: Crushed red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley
• 1 cup marinara sauce (for dipping)

PREPARATION METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Using parchment paper, line a baking sheet.
   
   
2. Use a box grater or a food processor to grate the cauliflower.
   
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the grated cauliflower. Combine the eggs, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to it. Stir the ingredients together until they form a loose dough.
   
   
4. Place the dough on the baking sheet that has been prepared. Form a rectangular crust by patting it down with moistened hands. It should be approximately 1/2 inch thick.
   
   
5. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and dry to the touch.
   
   
6. In a small bowl, melt the butter.Add the minced garlic. Drizzle the garlic butter over the top of the cauliflower crust. 
   
   
7. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. If you are adding the crushed red pepper flakes, sprinkle the desired amount over the top as well. Bake again until the cheese has melted about 5 to 10 minutes. 
   
   
8. Remove from the oven and top with chopped parsley if you wish.
   
   
9. Slice into sticks and serve immediately.

Easy Cheddar Cauliflower Cakes

INGREDIENTS USED:

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded sharp)
• 2 large eggs (beaten)
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or creole)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (omit this if the Cajun seasoning has salt in it)

PREPARATION METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius/Gas 6. Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to line a rimmed baking sheet.
   
   
2. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and steam them over a few inches of simmering water in a steaming basket. Cover the pan and steam for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Drain thoroughly.
   
   
3. Place the cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor and pulse six to eight times. Alternatively, mash the cauliflower with a potato masher or ricer. When you're done mashing, it should still have some texture. Place it in a large mixing bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool.
   
   
4. Toss the cauliflower with the cheese, beaten eggs, and seasonings.
   
   
5. Place a ring mold or food ring of any size (canning jar lid, English muffin ring, a pancake mold, or round cookie or biscuit cutter) on the prepared baking sheet and add cauliflower mixture to a depth of about 1/2 inch. I used a muffin scoop to keep them fairly uniform in size. It depends on the size of your rings. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower mixture. They don't spread, so you can keep them quite close together.
   
   
6. Bake the cauliflower cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bottoms are well browned. Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes to set before removing from the pan. 

Cauliflower with Cheese

INGREDIENTS USED:

• 1 medium cauliflower (approximately 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 large leeks (cleaned, washed, and finely sliced)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (grated, plus extra for sprinkling on top)
• Pepper to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 395 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
   
2. Remove the cauliflower's green outer leaves and thick white stalk. Do not to break the florets. Make a deep cross in the bottom of the stem and steam it whole over boiling water until it is slightly tender but not cooked. The cauliflower florets should be firm.
   
   
3. Take the cauliflower off the heat and set it aside to cool.
   
   
4. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the finely chopped leeks. Cook until the leeks are softened but not completely cooked. 1 tablespoon of the leeks should be set aside.
   
   
5. Toss the remaining leeks in the pan with the flour and stir well. The flour will become lumpy; stir for another 2 to 3 minutes.
   
   
6. Add salt to taste.
   
   
7. Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the milk all at once. Stir quickly until you have a smooth sauce. Continue to stir until the sauce has thickened and become glossy (about 5 minutes) If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little more milk; the sauce should be thick but still runny.
   
   
8. Finally, stir in the grated cheese until it melts. Turn off the heat.
   
   
9. Carefully separate the cauliflower florets from the central stalk. Place the florets in a greased baking dish that will hold them all in one layer.
   
   
10. Cover the cauliflower with cheese and leek sauce, making sure all of the florets are covered. Finally, garnish with the leftover grated cheese, a tablespoon of softened leeks, and a good grind of black pepper.
    
    
11. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and golden brown on top. Use a sharp pointed knife to pierce the cauliflower and check if it is fully cooked. If necessary, cook for a few extra minutes.

Cauliflower is regarded as one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. This cruciferous vegetable is a good source of vitamins, fiber, and nutrients. It also contains unique antioxidants that have been shown to reduce inflammation and protect against diseases like cancer and heart disease.

It's easy to incorporate into your diet and can be used to replace high-carb foods in a variety of recipes.