Today my friend Stacie texted me: “I got cauliflower in the cafeteria today. I deserve a prize.”

That is how we feel about cauliflower, and if you feel differently, kudos. Cruciferous vegetables especially are acquired tastes. And if we aren’t used to them, they can taste kind of bad! But in ayurveda, whole foods, freshly cooked, are the staple, and the star of the show is vegetables.

A Few Thoughts on Cooking and Eating Ayurvedically

1. Ayurveda tells us to enjoy our food. That’s why it’s fun to find ways to make super-nutritious foods palatable. I find that the more I eat wholesome food, the more I truly enjoy it.
2. We shouldn’t wildly fluctuate from a diet of pizza and beer to strictly cauliflower and, like, barley. Making gradual changes is the ayurvedic way.
3. When we cook, we should attempt to be in a loving and happy state of mind, because supposedly the food is infused with the cook’s juju.

Ayurveda really emphasizes lots of lightly cooked vegetables. I really emphasize easy. I have found a great way to make cauliflower, thanks to my pal Kris. She made this recipe up, although she maintains that she is sure something similar can be found online. I regularly stink up our office with the glorious smell of cauliflower.

Cauliflower Delight (not an oxymoron)

Ingredients

• A head of cauliflower, cut into florets (roughly uniform in size)
• Teaspoon(ish) of powdered ranch mix – “soup and dip mix”
• 1/2 cup(ish) of plain Greek Yogurt (I like the organic, whole milk kind)
• 1/4 cup(ish) of Parmesan cheese (real kind, not powder) or sharp cheddar
• Salt to taste (I don’t actually use any; see what you think)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400
• Steam the cauliflower for 20 min or so, until tender (I use a double boiler)
• Add yogurt and ranch powder
• Puree it all together (I use one of those immersion hand blenders; a hand mixer works well too)
• Put mixture on a cookie sheet and sprinkle the cheese on top
• Bake in the oven until the cheese melts, about 5-7 min

I eat this yummy dish as a side with some zucchini (that I fry up with a bit of oil and some herbs), or I use it as a dip for my salt-free tortilla chips – seriously delish! It also works to pretend they are mashed potatoes with a heartier meat and potato-type meal.

Cheers!

Subscribe and get new posts in your inbox!

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you’re human: