Roasted Cauliflower

Hello, all – it’s Caitlin here!

Charles has graciously ceded the wheel to me for today’s posting, thus giving me the opportunity to discuss one of my favorite dietary topics: fiber.  I’ll preface this discussion by saying that Charles eats a very healthful diet, with oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and bananas ranking among his favorites.

Yet, when I suggested that he swap his white bread for a whole grain alternative (more fiber!), he balked at the suggestion and characterized my beloved wheat bread as “cardboard” (blasphemy!).  Despite these accusations, fiber confers a variety of health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and regulating blood sugar, which helps prevent diabetes.  So, while Charles still enjoys his white bread sandwiches, we’ve found other ways to incorporate fiber into our diets.

A few nights ago, I made oven-roasted cauliflower with garlic.  I find that roasting vegetables intensifies their flavor, rendering a caramelized, crispy product.  Tender, aromatic, and slightly sweet, our oven-roasted cauliflower is a wonderful veggie accompaniment to any meal.  And, although each cup contains 13.4% of the recommended daily value of fiber, Charles did not accuse this dish of tasting like cardboard!

Roasted Cauliflower

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes
YIELD: Serves 4

WHAT TO GRAB:
1 head cauliflower
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil (approx.)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2.  After removing the exterior leaves, rinse and pat dry your head of cauliflower.  Trim the stem, and chop cauliflower into bite-sized florets.  Depending upon your preferences, you can choose to discard or reserve the stems.  But, the florets and stems should be cut into roughly the same-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.

3.  Toss the florets into a baking dish.  The dish should be large enough to spread the cauliflower into a single layer (we used a 9 1/2 x 13 pan).  Sprinkle the olive oil, salt, and pepper over the florets – then toss to coat them evenly.

4.  Carefully use the side of a large chopping knife to smash four whole cloves of garlic.  Once smashed, the cloves should easily slide out of their papery exterior.  Place the smashed cloves in the baking pan, and place the pan into the oven.

5.  Cook the cauliflower for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, until they are softened, aromatic, and browned along the edges.  I would recommend checking the cauliflower after 15 minutes and shaking the pan to prevent the florets from sticking.  Additionally, you may wish to add a little more olive oil at this point to prevent sticking.

6.  Remove pan from oven, serve, and enjoy!  As you eat, remind your significant other that s/he’s getting a healthy serving of fiber!