Roasted Garlic Cauliflower and Food Phobias

“I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.” –George H.W. Bush

Much like our 41st President, cruciferous vegetables haven’t always been my thing. Broccoli and cauliflower kind of grossed me out as a kid, as they were A) healthy, B) not made entirely of sugar, and C) shaped like flora. Back then, I climbed in trees. I didn’t eat them, much less drown them in cheese.

Fortunately (unlike G.H.W.B.), I got over the broccoli aversion pretty fast, since it could be added to pasta, thus disguising its prolific nutritional value. Cauliflower, on the other hand? Not so much. Up until late last year, it still gave me the willies pretty consistently (though not as much as mayonnaise).

Then, on Christmas, family friend Mrs. D (hi, Mrs. D!) made Cauliflower Gratin. (I’m think it was Ina Garten’s recipe, but I’m not 100% on that.)

Dude, have you ever had one dish – a single serving – change the way you felt about a food? This was that good.

Sadly, as is endemic of nearly all Ina’s recipes, it had a little too much butter, milk, and delicious, delicious cheese to reproduce for this blog. So, since then, I’ve been searching for recipes that would build on that experience. Y'know? Expand my cauliflower mind a little.

Then it happened: Roasted Garlic Cauliflower. A lovely, lower-fast dish from All Recipes, it derives most of its flavor from olive oil and copious amounts of garlic, along with a semi-generous roasting time. The combination emphasizes the cauli-flavor without hitting you over the head, which I can get down with.

As far as a verdict, I would gladly eat it again, and not spit any out into my napkin. The Boyfriend, a certified (and certifiable) caulif-lover, declared it, “really good.” So – triumph!

For future dishes, I’m thinking of trying Curried Cauliflower Soup and Leigh’s Indian-inspired dish from yesterday. If y’all have any suggestions, please send them along. Because when it comes to my food phobias, I need all the help I can get.

P.S. Nutrition numbers came from All Recipes, so only the price is calculated here.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
Makes 6 side servings
Adapted from All Recipes.

2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste

1) Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a baking dish or pan with cooking spray.

2) In a medium mixing bowl or large Ziploc bag, combine olive oil and cauliflower. Mix thoroughly. Spread in dish. Salt and pepper to taste.

3) Roast 25 minutes, stirring the cauliflower about 12 or 13 minutes in. When finished, remove from oven. Sprinkle parmesan  and parsley on the top. Broil 3 to 5 minutes, until parm is lightly browned.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
127 calories, 8.7 g fat, $0.49

Calculations
2 tablespoons minced garlic: $0.16
3 tablespoons olive oil: $0.35
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets: $1.49
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese: $0.91
Salt and black pepper to taste: $0.02
TOTAL: $2.93
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): $0.49