What’s For Dinner? Purple Cauliflower

Purple is the new “it” color at my house. Purple cauliflower, anyway. Have you tried it? It’s actually a beautiful veg, but I tend to fall in love with any food that inspires my 4-year old to ask for a bite – all on her own.

Not only a beauty, it’s also a nutritional powerhouse, jam-packed with the flavonoid “anthocyanin” —  the very same stuff that gives blueberries their claim to fame. Anthocyanin is responsible for the purple pigment, but it’s also a super potent plant compound that’s been shown in studies to prevent heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, Concord grapes, and cherries are the richest sources of anthocyanin, but you can also get it from purple veggies like eggplant, purple carrots, purple cabbage, beets, purple kale, and purple onions (and purple cauliflower!).

There are a ton of ways you can cook with cauliflower.  I grew up eating it tossed with spaghetti.  My mom would whip up this delicious dish up once a week for a quick weeknight meal. She tossed warm pasta with steamed cauliflower and dressed it with olive oil, crunchy bits of garlic and fresh parsley.  Yes, my mom can cook some serious pasta!

These days my go-to (and super easy) way to prepare it is by roasting it.  What’s your favorite way?

Chop up the cauliflower plus any other veggie you want to roast with it (I used Brussels sprouts).  Place in a bowl and coat with olive oil (or coconut oil for a sweeter taste), salt, and pepper. Lay out onto a baking sheet.

Roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until soft.

Serve with something delicious like broiled salmon.  😉