Crazy for Cauliflower!

Check out these little known facts about Cauliflower (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

Admit it! When you think about the kinds of vegetables you crave, cauliflower isn’t likely to be at the top of your list. But this cousin to both broccoli and cabbage might just surprise you with some of the delicious dishes that can be made from it.

Cauliflower, like many of the other cruciferous vegetables, can be a great contributor to a healthy diet. It is believed to help detox the body, aid in addressing inflammation issues, and provide some protection against certain types of cancers including those affecting the bladder, breast, and colon. Unfortunately, because cauliflower is less popular that it’s more mainstream relatives, there isn’t a significant body of knowledge available to support any specific claims related to health benefits.

However, it doesn’t take research results to understand why cauliflower should make its way onto your menu several times each month.   A single 3.5 ounce serving of cauliflower has about 25 calories and provides:

• 5g carbohydrates
• 1.9g sugar
• 2g dietary fiber
• 0.3g fat
• 1.9g protein
• 92g water
• 0.667 mg pantothenic acid (B5) (13% of RDA)
• 0.184 mg vitamin B6 (14% of RDA)
• 57 μg Folate (B9) (14% of RDA)
• 48.2 mg vitamin C (58% of RDA)
• 0.08 mg vitamin E (1% of RDA)
• 15.5 μg vitamin K (15% of RDA)

In addition, it provides calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.

Cauliflower can be eaten in a variety of ways, but for best results, sauté them in a vegetable oil high in Omega-3s. While it can also be steamed and boiled, it is very easy to overcook cauliflower using these methods which can result in a mushy, tasteless mess. If you are interested in finding out why we are crazy for cauliflower this month, check out some of these great recipes that showcase this very healthy veggie.

1. Abby’s Yummy Veggie Pizza
2. Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
3. Over Roasted Cauliflower with Olive Oil, Garlic and Lemon Juice
4. Just Like Loaded Baked Potatoes Cauliflower
5. Cream of Cauliflower Soup
6. Cauliflower Mac n Cheese Casserole
7. Cauliflower Gratin
8. Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli
9. Cauliflower Supreme
10. Cauliflower Fritters
11. Cauliflower Soup
12. Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
13. Sausage Cauliflower Spaghetti
14. Curried Cauliflower
15. English Cheddar Cheese Gratin
16. Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
17. Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower
18. Chicken Tetrazzini with Cauliflower
19. Greek Cauliflower
20. Cauliflower with Avocado Cilantro Dip
21. Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
22. Cauliflower Onion Linguine
23. Fried Cauliflower
24. Ham and Cauliflower Casserole
25. Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Tumeric and Ginger
26. Cajun Cauliflower in Garlic Sauce
27. Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup
28. Cauliflower and Ham Crustless Quiche
29. Cauliflower and Egg Salad
30. Curried Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Tomatoes

You can find locally grown cauliflower from these Arizona Farm Bureau Members: 

• Bathtub Spring Farm in Nutrioso
• Big Happy’s Farm in Mesa
• Crooked Carrot Farm in Queen Creek
• Desert Roots Farm in Queen Creek
• Schnepf Farm in Queen Creek
• Tonopah Rob’s Vegetable Farm

Learn more about Growing Cauliflower by watching this video.

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