TORONTO — With beach season around the corner, what better time to shed some carbs from your diet and swap them for something a little more healthy — like cauliflower.
The cruciferous veggie, which has been dubbed “the new kale,” is loaded with nutritional goodness. The often under-rated superfood also makes for a great carb substitute. It can be great in shepherd’s pie in place of potatoes, for instance, or in pizza crust.
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BuzzFeed has a few other tasty and creative suggestions:
Grilled Cheese
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Grate steamed cauliflower in food processor.
- Squeeze out any moisture (you can do this by pressing the cauliflower between two clean dish clothes).
- Mix cauliflower, egg and mozzarella in bowl.
- Form into squares on baking sheet and bake until golden.
- Place cheese between the slices and grill.
Tater tots
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Blend steamed cauliflower in food processor.
- Mix egg, cauliflower, vegetables and cheese in bowl.
- Roll mixture and place on baking sheet.
- Bake until golden.
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Mac & Cheese
- Put florets in crock pot.
- In a pot, combine: milk, cheddar soup, more cheddar and onion.
- Stir until melted.
- Pour mixture into slow cooker over cauliflower
- Cook on low for three hours.
There’s also a recipe for veggie fried rice (with cauliflower subbing in for the rice) in the video above.
Did you know?
- Cauliflower is in the same plant family as broccoli, kale, cabbage and collards. Mark Twain called it “cabbage with a college education.”
- It was first grown in North America in the 1600s.
- It can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.
- If you notice small brown spots on the cauliflower, don’t worry, it’s likely just water marks. Yellow marks could mean the vegetable is passed its prime.
The key benefits of cauliflower:
- Anti-inflammatory due to its high vitamin K content
- High in immune-boosting Vitamin C
- High in fibre
- High in antioxidant nutrients, which can help prevent the development of cancer
- Boosts heart health (sulforaphane in cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables has been found to significantly improve blood pressure and kidney function)
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Try these recipes from Food Network Canada that feature cauliflower:
- Roasted cauliflower with almonds
- Smokey paprika roasted cauliflower
- Cream of cauliflower soup
- Cheddar, cauliflower and potato soup
- Michael Smith’s aloo gobi
With files from Global News contributor/registered nutritionist Kathy Smart
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