How to Eat a Whole Head of Cauliflower...BY YOURSELF!

I was a raw foodist for a while. During that time I remember making something called cauliflower popcorn which was dehydrated. It tasted pretty good but then again everything I ate tasted pretty good because I barely ate anything.

During my raw food days I noticed a great deal of improvement in my digestion. I have struggled with digestion issues for about 12 years and I felt really good during that time. I now realize that it was less about the raw food diet and more about being grain free.

I am now eating cooked and raw foods but I have been staying away from grains and my stomach is thrilled. I recently tried adding in some popcorn and while it tasted delicious, it didn't agree with my body. But it tasted so darn good!

So last night I decided to look up that popcorn cauliflower recipe and give it a try. I didn't find the original raw recipe. I found something better! It was so simple, so easy, and oh my gosh, so good. I would love to tell you that my family liked it but I never gave them a chance to try it because I ate the whole thing myself. Yum!

I added a bit of garlic powder to the recipe but I couldn't really taste it. I might try to double the amount next time or just leave it out. The recipe says to leave the pieces the size of golf balls. I made mine a bit smaller and in the end, I found that the smaller the pieces, the better they tasted so next time I am going to make all mine teeny tiny. It will cook faster too.

It really doesn't make that much so if you are going to make it for other people, I would suggest you double the recipe. I think this one is a winner! Let me know how you like it.

Cauliflower Popcorn

1 head cauliflower

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Throw away all of the core and the thick stem.
3. Combine olive oil, salt and garlic powder in a bowl. Add the cauliflower and toss to coat.
4. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (you can skip that it if you don't have any but it makes it easier to clean up).
5. Roast for 1 hour, turning 3 or 4 times until most of each piece is golden brown. The browner they are, the better they taste.
6. Serve immediately

Meatless Monday!

Have you heard about this Meatless Monday movement that is going on? I think it is pretty cool. Basically they are saying that by removing meat from our menu for one day a week we will be cutting our consumption by 15%. By doing this we can improve our health and the health of our planet. You can find out more about it at their website or check out the video below.



I like this idea and decided to commit to doing it. My first attempt at feeding my children a meatless meal went over great. I took a recipe that I have for pasta fagoli and omitted the meat (which I don't usually even put in there) and switched out the chicken broth for some vegetable broth. It was a success. The kids didn't even realize they weren't eating meat. In fact, I am going to do this a few more times before I announce it to them.

Why wouldn't I just tell them you ask. Well, the little guys probably would think it was a great idea. I could show them the video and we could have some fun with it...which is exactly what we will do in a few weeks. The problem is the teenager. Yes, he is a meat eater and will complain incessantly about the lack of meat. I figure if I do it without him realizing it I will have some history to fall back on him when he complains. You know, "I've been doing it for a month now and you haven't complained once." Sneaky I know.

Now, if any of Cody's friends are reading this blog post (you know who you are), you better not let him in on the secret. I will know you did it :o)

Vegan Pasta Fagoli

2 TBL olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
2 cans cannellini beans
1/2 cup small pasta (tubettini or ditalini)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
red pepper

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Cook the onion, carrot and celery until soft. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Pour in the broth, beans and chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Remove a few scoops of the bean mixture and puree or mash. Return to the pot. * Add the pasta, parsley, and seasonings. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil, some shaved Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

*I use my immersion blender to thicken up the soup instead of taking the beans out and mashing them. It is quick and easy.