Meatless Monday: Roasted Cauliflower

This entry was posted on Nov 28, 2016 by Charlotte Bell.

meatless mondayWinter is officially here, at least in my part of the world. I’m watching snow come down as I sit at my laptop. My drafty old house—that will be turning 100 in January—is not all that warm. So it’s a good time to start using the oven to give my house a little warmth boost.

Cauliflower, a veggie that was once maligned as boring, has enjoyed a renaissance in the past few years. It’s being used as a grain substitute—think cauliflower rice. I’ve also seen ground cauliflower used as the base of a pizza crust.

I’ll admit that I’ve always liked it (as has my big orange cat, Pushkin), steamed, stir-fried, sautéed and puréed. I’ve recently taken to roasting it. It’s really quite good with only minimum flavoring, such as olive oil, salt and pepper. But I thought this Indian-spiced recipe from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone looked good, so I tried it. I served it with a simple dal and basmati rice. It was quite excellent.

Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric, Spice and Cilantro

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 1/2 t turmeric
  • 1/2 t paprika (plus more to finish)
  • 1 t roasted, ground cumin
  • 1 t coriander
  • 1/2 t sea salt
  • 3 T coconut oil
  • fresh-ground black pepper
  • yogurt (optional)
  • a handful of chopped cilantro leaves
  1. Roast the cumin seeds in a skillet until fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
  2. Heat the coconut oil on low heat until liquid.
  3. Heat the oven to 425°.
  4. Cut the cauliflower into small, bite-sized florets and slice or dice the stems.
  5. Toss the florets with the oil, salt and spices until coated. Place in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Roast for 30 minutes, turning the florets occasionally for even browning.
  6. Remove from oven when done. Drizzle with some yogurt if you like and sprinkle with a bit more paprika and some fresh cilantro.

 

About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is titled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST Magazine and serves as editor for Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy awards.

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