Tag Archives: cauliflower

Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew Salad

Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew Salad

Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew SAlad

Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew Salad

Peas and cauliflower are not vegetables often served.  Peas get added to soups or rice, rarely used in salad or as a side dish as buttered peas.  Cauliflower is in almost every vegetable tray  set up at the grocery or buffet.  It is a once-in-awhile vegetable on my table.  After eating the , Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew Salad, raw cauliflower is becoming a salad stable.

Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew SAlad

Peas, Cauliflower and Cashew Salad

Julia Ann
Peas, cauliflower, nuts and a bit of bacon makes a delicious summer recipe for your luncheon or dinner,
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 pound bacon fried, drained and crumbled
  • 10 ounces frozen peas
  • 1 cup cauliflower cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • 1/4 cup green onions diced
  • 1/4 cup yellow mini pepper diced
  • 1 cup cashew pieces lightly salted
  • 1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Fry bacon, drain on paper towel.
  • Cool and crumble in small pieces.
  • Wash and cut the cauliflower, celery, green onions and peppeer
  • Mix the Ranch dressing and sour cream.
  • Mix bacon and vegetables together, except peas, into a large bowl.
  • Stir in the dressings.
  • Pour into a large serving dish, refrigerate.
  • Add the frozen peas 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Peas Cashew Salad by Janice Griggs in "Our Pitch-In Secrets" by UNISYS, HIM Service Center employees.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Cauliflower protects against cancer and packed with vitamin C and vitamin B folate helping your  immune system.  To get the most benefit of the nutrients, it is best to steam, cook in a wok or microwave.  Boiling the cauliflower in water causes it to lose those nutrients.

Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

 Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce

Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce

Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower                                                        

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox

Julia Ann

Julia Ann

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.

 

Steamed Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce

Picture from Creative cooking Course

Creative Cooking Course: The Creative Cooking Academy 1973

Steamed Caulifower with Mornay Sauce

Cauliflower seems to be latest vegetable in the spotlight, at least from many of the blogs I have been receiving.  It is not one of those vegetables  I  use very often  unless I have a specific recipe. It  is a versatile vegetable to be used in salads, casseroles, soups or vegetable side dish and on a pizza or stir-fried frozen cauliflower.  

Cooking Fresh Cauliflower

Fresh Cauliflower

Fresh Cauliflower

There are several ways to cooking cauliflower and other fresh vegetables. To have them keep their food value and looking fresh and delicious it is best to “undercook”, that is, to cook the vegetables as short as time as possible  and still be tender not over cooked.  The cooking time will vary the cooking method. Here is a list of methods to cook fresh vegetables:  steaming, boiling, pressure cooking, braising, baking, frying and roasting.

Benefits of Cauliflower

Steaming Cauliflower

Steaming Cauliflower cover over 2 ” water for 5-7 minutes.

Cauliflower can provide the healing powers to boost the immune system and inhibit tumor growth. Vitamin C and vitamin B folate support the immune system.  To keep the nutrients at the peak, choose solid white heads without brown spots. Eating raw or steamed cauliflower provides the most nutrients.  Store with the steam down to prevent excess moisture in the florets.  

Mornay Sauce, a French Cheese Sauce

Picture from Creative Cooking Course

Picture from Creative Cooking Course: The Creative Homemaker’s Academy 1973

Looking through an older cookbook, I found this recipe for Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce a French cheese sauce.  It is cauliflower florets steamed then covered with bread crumbs and melted butter as an au gratin. The Mornay Sauce base is Béchamel Sauce, a basic medium thick white sauce, with the added butter and cheese.  This is poured in the center of the cauliflower and browned under the broiler.

 

The Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce was very good even though the finished dish did not look like the picture.  I also used all the cauliflower in the casserole. I should have cooked the white sauce longer  before adding the cheese.  The original recipe called for Parmesan cheese, I used Pecorino-Romano and  too few bread crumbs.   The end recipe turned out to be closer to cauliflower soup and delicious anyway.

Cooking Bechamel Sauce

Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce

Julia Ann
An elegant cauliflower casserole is served with a generous sprinkling of bread crumbs, butter and a French cheese sauce broiled to brown the crumbs and sauce.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Vegetable
Cuisine French
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 1 cup freshly ground bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 recipe of MORNAY SAUCE
  • Basic White Sauce or Bechamel Sauce as follows.
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • To complete Mornay Sauce add
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

Instructions
 

  • Wash and trim cauliflower into florets.
  • Steam the cauliflower until tender, 5-7 minutes over 2 inches boiling water.
  • Arrange cauliflower around the edge of casserole.
  • Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan.
  • Whisk in the flour until smooth.
  • Gradually stir the milk, constantly stirring or use whisk to blend.
  • Cook until sauce is thick.
  • Stir in the salt and pepper.
  • Prepare the Mornay Sauce
  • Add the butter in small pieces.
  • Stir in the Parmesan cheese, beating until the butter is melted.
  • Generously sprinkle bread crumbs over the cauliflower.
  • Drizzle 1/3 cup melted butter over the bread crumbs
  • Spoon Mornay Sauce into the middle of baking dish.
  • Broil until the crumbs are lightly browned.

Notes

Swiss cheese is often used in the Mornay Sauce, you may prefer other cheeses. Less salt may be better if the cheese is especially salty. Inspired by The Creative Cooking Course, 1973.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Here are more cauliflower recipes.  Check out these links.

Simply Recipes  – Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

The Taste of Aussie -Crumbed Cauliflower Florets

 Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes  for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.”  Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox®. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

Cauliflower becomes an “in” vegetable.Cauliflower Pizza_852

It is interesting to see how vegetables that have gone unnoticed are now the trend.  Kale and collard greens are two that come to mind.  Cauliflower is another vegetable now seen with mashed potatoes, or mashed as a side dish, roasting  and stir-frying are  additional ways of cooking cauliflower. New recipes and preparations teaches us how versatile cauliflower can be.  Vegan and vegetarian diets have made a big difference in the way we eat and choose foods.  Also having world-wide food communities expands  the traditional thinking.

Friday Nights:  Pizza Night!

Vegeie Pizza_280Friday night has long been a pizza night at our house.  Traditionally it was ground beef or ground turkey, cheeses, mushrooms and onions. You know the pizza!  I began trying different vegetables which was usually zucchini, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms and onions.  Recently I decided to try cauliflower, of course I added cheeses, mushrooms and onion and other stables of a pizza. I get limited in my own adventurousness.

 

I had  a small bag of semolina flour in the freezer I had gotten for pasta.  I thought it was time to be using it up.  I used semolina flour and all-purpose flour for the crust.  I was not impressed with this crust.  It was thinner and crispier than my wheat and all-purpose flour dough.  The pizza dough recipe I usually use makes a thicker bread-like crust. I have given the recipe for my regular Pizza Dough.

 

Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

By the time  I was done dressing up the Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza you could not see the cauliflower.

Baked Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

Baked Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza                                                                                                                                                     

Cauliflower Vegetable Pizza

Julia Ann
Versatile cauliflower is used as the base for a pizza. Serve it as an appetizer, snack or start a Pizza night.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Course Pizza
Cuisine American
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
  

  • PIZZA DOUGH
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast room temperature
  • 1 cup of water at 105-113F
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • Extra flour for rolling out the crust.
  • FILLING
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1-2 cups cauliflower 1/4 inch slices and small florets.
  • 1 red pepper 1/4 inch slices or rings
  • 1/4 cup onion diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 cup crimini mushrooms sliced
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese
  • Chopped parsley
  • Red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • PIZZA DOUGH
  • Put water in a large bowl.
  • Sprinkle with the yeast.
  • Add the honey and olive oil, stir and let set until the mixture becomes foamy on top.
  • Add the flour and stir until thick dough and sticky.
  • Pour our on a floured bread board and knead until smooth and elastic.
  • Roll into a ball, put the dough into a greased bowl and let set for 30-45 minutes, until double.
  • Roll out into a pizza pan.
  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • FILLING:
  • Spread tomato sauce over the pizza dough.
  • Sprinkle the 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over sauce.
  • Lay the cauliflower slices and florets evenly on top of the cheese.
  • Spread with the onion and garlic.
  • Spread the mushroom slices evenly on top.
  • Add the cheeses.
  • Add chopped parsley and red pepper flakes to taste

Notes

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox®.All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

CAULIFLOWER BENEFITS

1 cup of cauliflower has 29 calories.
Cauliflower is high in Vitamin C
Vitamin K provides anti-inflammatory benefits.
Inhibits tumor growth
Boosts the immune system.
The fiber content  provides digestive system support.

CHOOSING THE BEST CAULIFLOWER AND PREPARATION

Select creamy white, clean and solid clusters of florets.
Leaves protect the head of cauliflower and will be fresher.
Size is not related to the quality, choose what you need.
Store in the refrigerator in a paper or plastic bag, it will be good up to a week.
Store the head of cauliflower stem down to prevent moisture forming in the floret clusters.
The florets are most often eaten, the stem and leaves are edible too, or add to soup stock.
Sauteing in water, vegetable or chicken broth is healthiest way of cooking.

YOU MIGHT LIKE……

eating well.com – Healthy Cauliflower Recipes and Cooking Tips

Food – Cauliflower Recipes

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinaboxJulia Ann andcookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes  your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice®  The Art of Gourmet Cookery®  cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® .  All rights reserved.

Link

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower

Fresh cauliflower looked so good at the summer’s Farmer’s Market.  I froze several bags to have this winter.  I got ready to cook it and wondered how to besides boiling in water and having a soggy limp vegetable.  I did use some in soup and casseroles.  I wanted the taste of roasted cauliflower.  By thawing it first, microwaving for 1 minute and draining well by putting on towelling paper to absorb more water, the cauliflower was ready for a quick stir-fry.  Seasoned and enhanced with walnut pieces made a quick side dish.

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower

Stir-Fried Frozen Cauliflower

Julia Ann
Frozen cauliflower stir-fried to give the summer roasted fresh cauliflower flavor. A side dish to serve with meats or add to a vegetarian menu.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Vegetables
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 40 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups frozen cauliflower

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in non-stick skillet.

Notes

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. 2007-2018 Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox "Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off." All rights reserved.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 40kcalCarbohydrates: 1.67gProtein: 0.93gFat: 3.61gSaturated Fat: 1.12gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 16mgFiber: 0.8gSugar: 0.68g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Benefits of Cauliflower

Cauliflower is considered a cruciferous vegetable along with kale, cabbage and collards. The vitamin C and manganese have supportive nutrients needed for antioxidants and anti-inflammatory to protect our bodies from chronic diseases.

 

Julia Ann cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.