I love vegetables — obviously — but cauliflower is not one of my favourites. I don’t dislike it; I simply don’t choose to eat it. It’s the vegetable that goes unnoticed on the platter of veggies and dip; it’s the vegetable that goes unseen in the produce section, what with all the other brightly coloured options waving their rainbow flags at me. Poor, under-appreciated cauliflower.
Then along comes a recipe like this that elevates nature’s lamest vegetable to superstar status. When I first tried roasted cauliflower, I was amazed at the flavor erupting from such a humble veggie. Then one day I found myself with some leftover basil so I made a little pesto, added it to the roasted cauliflower, and suddenly...skyrockets in flight. Dinnertime delight.
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, toss cauliflower florets with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Spread florets evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the pesto: in a food processor, blend together basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and garlic.
Remove cauliflower from oven; toss with pesto, serve immediately.
Yield: 2 large or 4 small servings
Nutritional Information, based on 4 servings (approximate): Calories: 94, Total Carbohydrates: 5 grams, Fibre: 3 grams, Sugar: 2 grams, Protein: 3 grams, Fat: 7 grams
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