Dietitians are geeks. Not like your ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ pocket protector type geeks. We’re food geeks. While regular geeks know the square root of Pi to the 25th digit…we can rattle off things like calories and nutrient values with similar ease. It’s not quadratic equations that thrill us, its food.
So this should explain why a recent trip to the farmer’s market had me so excited. There, nestled among all the greens, was a beautiful rainbow of flowers…cauliflowers to be exact. Not just your run of the mill white variety, but brilliant purple, vibrant green and soft orange. I greedily grabbed the best head of each color and couldn’t wait to get them home!
All these bright colors are loaded with disease preventing phytochemicals, fiber and nutrients. They are especially rich in vitamin C. The orange variety contains 25 times the vitamin A of the white variety. Given that this is a low calorie vegetable (around 25 calories per cup raw), it is a powerhouse when it comes to filling you up without filling you out.
My favorite ways to eat cauliflower are simple; I want to preserve the true flavor. Try any of these for a delicious, filling dish:- Steam or microwave until just fork tender, then lightly season.
- Add a few squirts of butter/margarine spray and a little salt.
- Sprinkle with parmesan or cheddar cheese.
- Mash, season with salt and pepper and serve instead of potatoes.
- Slice and pan fry in a very small amount of oil; season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle raw flowerets into any veggie salad.
- Dip raw pieces in low fat dressing.
Have any other great ideas? Let me know, I’m always looking for new ways to eat one of my favorite veggies!
- Renee
Labels: fruits and vegetables, Healthy Cooking, Renee
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