Romanesco #gardencuizine #haveaplant

Incredible Edible

 

Meet Romanesco, one of the wildest looking veggies on the planet! This fascinating, Italian heirloom veggie is sometimes called Fractal Broccoli. This beauty was grown in New Jersey! If you see it at your local farmers market or grocery story give it a try. It's super nutritious and you can eat it and prepare it as you would broccoli or cauliflower. The head is chartreuse and the leaves are green of course; although purple leaves would make it even cooler!!

Related Links

If you Love Cauliflower, it might be time to try Romenesco

Incredible Edible

Photograph Copyright (C)Wind Photography. All rights reserved.

Savoy Cabbage stars in our next batch of probiotic-rich kraut! #gardencuizine #stonesoupblog

    Savoy - Our next Batch of Kraut!

Savory cabbage stars in our next batch of probiotic-rich sauerkraut that is fermenting now. Did you see my social media posts of the most picture-perfect head of Savoy Cabbage? We bought it from our local farmers market. You can use any type of cabbage for homemade sauerkraut.

The Savoy cabbage was farm fresh, yet didn't yield as much brine as the regular head of fresh cabbage that we used in the last batch. I decided to add a little extra brine after 9-days of fermenting.

Making sauerkraut is fun and easy. I used one head of cabbage (Savoy this time), sliced it thin. In a large bowl, non-iodized sea salt was massaged into it: 1 tablespoon of course salt (not iodized) per 2 lbs. of sliced cabbage. 

I divided the cabbage mixture into two large glass mason jars, covered and set aside to ferment. Every day I open the lids to release any gases and poke down the kraut using tongs. With the lid on tight, sometimes turning the jar upside down to let any brine flow to the top so the top layer won't get moldy.

After 9-days the kraut seemed like it needed more brine. To reduce the amount of trapped air in the jars, I combined the two jars into one jar and pressed down the cabbage firmly. A small batch of additional brine was added. The brine still did not reach up to the top of the shredded cabbage; but, by the next day there was more brine! 

I learned from Holly Howe (see link below), who explains in her blog post, that brine level changes along with temperature in your kitchen. Perhaps our kitchen was a bit warmer. Plus the additional salt brine may have helped.

See below for my small batch brine recipe: note: this may or may not be a good idea! Some say that added brine could make the kraut mushy. I hope not. At the 21-day mark, I will add a comment on texture and flavor. - check back!

Recipe for 1/2 cup extra Sauerkraut Brine

1/2 tsp Non-iodized course sea salt

1/2 cup Chlorine free water (I used filtered tap water)

Related Links

Kraut in a Jar by book author Holly Howe

10 Delicious Kraut Additions

Blog post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@JerseyFreshNJDA Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage #GardenCuizine Low Sodium, Healthy Meal using fresh garden ingredients! @EatRight_NJ

low Sodium

Stuffed Cabbage

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage made from a beautiful head of Savoy Cabbage from Burlington County Ag Center's Farmers Market. Stuffed Cabbage makes a nutritious recipe for a large family or as meal prep for several meals for a household of one or two. 

The outer leaves were large and unblemished, which gave me the idea of using them for stuffed cabbage rolls. I plan to make more sauerkraut with the rest of the cabbage.

We used lentils vs ground beef for something different from traditional stuffed cabbage rolls with ground beef and rice. Harry picked up some red lentils vs green lentils, because that is all they had at the store. And, guess what? The red lentils worked out great and were delicious!

GardenCuizine Free style recipe - meaning use as much or little as you want of the ingredients!

Yields: At least 10-12 servings or more

Serving size: one roll

Ingredients                    

1 cup rice - (I used a rice blend from Rice Select "Royal Blend" - Texmati white rice, brown rice, red rice and wild rice)

Outer leaves from fresh head of cabbage

1 lb dry Red (or green) lentils cooked and strained - (I used Goya Lentejas Rojas and cooked the entire bag. We had leftover filling to use for fritters at other meals)

Onion, diced - I used half of a large onion (from the Farmer's Market)

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (from the garden!)

few thin sprigs celery with celery leaves chopped - (I used Tango celery from our garden)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

2 Tblsp olive oil

pinch salt and ground black pepper

Your favorite red sauce - we used a jar of Rao's

Grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Putting it all together

Cook the Rice

1) Cook the rice and set aside.

 Cook the Lentils

2) In a stock pot, saute the onion, peppers and celery in olive oil. Saute until onion is translucent; stir in the garlic and seasonings of your choice.

Add 4 cups water and lentils, salt and pepper and bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until lentils are cooked.

Combine

3) Stir in the rice blend with the cooked lentils and combine.

Set aside while you prepare the cabbage leaves

Prepare the Cabbage Leaves

4) Boil a large pot of water

Rinse off your selected cabbage leaves then add to boiling water; boil a few minutes to soften. Remove and place in a large baking dish to drip off and cool.

Use a paring knife to trim out the thick stem from the edge.

Stuff and Roll the Cabbage

5) Using an ice cream scoop, scoop a portion of your filling onto a cabbage leaf. Fold up the sides and roll burrito style.

Place into baking dishes with a layer of red sauce on the bottom.

Repeat for how ever many Cabbage Rolls you want to make.

Top with more red sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

Cover and keep in refrigerator or freezor until ready to cook.

Cook and serve!

When ready to cook, add a small amount of water, cover and bake in 350 deg oven until heated through and bubbling.

Serve with a side of chopped ripe and juicy heirloom Jersey tomatoes!

Enjoy!

Blog post and photos Copyright(C) Wind. All rights reserved.

Jersey Fresh @BurlCoNJ Cabbage and Radish for homemade Sauerkraut #gardencuizine #probiotics @eatright

Homemade Sauerkraut with Radish 

We stopped by our local farmers market at Burlington County Ag Center yesterday. In addition to Jersey corn and fresh peaches and cherries, we picked up a whole head of cabbage and a bunch of spicy red radish to make homemade sauerkraut. 

I used the same recipe that was already posted here on GardenCuizine.com, but I will mention it again since it is so quick and easy.

You will need 1 head of cabbage. The first time I made sauerkraut, I used a supermarket cabbage. It was good; but, this time I'm using an even fresher head of cabbage from our local farmer's market. I can already see a difference in the amount of brine. Fresh picked cabbage has more water. 

Rinse and peel off any damaged leaves. Slice in half. Remove the core. Slice ribbons similar to coleslaw and put in a large bowl. I used a large stainless steel bowl and had it on a digital scale so I could weigh the cabbage. Our sliced cabbage weighed almost 4 lbs. Note: don't forget to tare the bowl on the scale first so you don't count the weight of the bowl.

We also added a small bunch of spicy red radish. Rinse and slice and add to the cabbage.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of course salt (not iodized) per 2 lbs. of sliced cabbage. I used just under 2 tablespoons since the weight was just under 4 lbs. Massage the salt into the veggies. I wore food safe plastic gloves.

Place the prepared veggies loosely into your desired mason jars or crock. Tamp down with a wooden spoon and cover the jars. Brine will increase over time. 

I debated on what to use to cover the jars. What do you use to cover your jars? I decided to use a paper towel under the screw caps. That way any natural gases that occur in the fermenting process can escape. 

I still may end up covering the jars with the metal lids so the brine does not evaporate. The gases can still be released when I open the jar daily to tamp the cabbage down beneath the brine.

Photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Nutrition Data - #Cabbage #GardenCuizine #NNM #NationalNutritionMonth @eatright @kidseatright

Nutrition Data - Cabbage

All your food and beverage choices matter! Go further with your food selections by eating foods that are nutrient-dense. Nutrient-dense foods provide superb nutrition. Eating a healthy diet helps maintain a healthy body weight and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. 

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, vegetable consumption is lowest among boys ages 9 to 13 years and girls ages 14 to 18 years. But, in all ages vegetable consumption is below recommendations. Vegetables contain many important nutrients. Cabbage provides many nutrients, including:  

• Vitamin C for a healthy immune system. 
• Folate, which is especially important during pregnancy to prevent birth defects. 
• And, plant sterols that help keep cholesterol within normal limits.

Pediatricians are referring more and more children to dietitians because of abnormal lipids (fats) in the body. Common causes are either genetics, or even more often obesity - more than any other risk factor.*

Many adults and kids are deficient in adequate dietary fiber from plant foods. Dietary fiber is a nutrient to get more of. Soluble fiber in particular, has been shown to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol. Cabbage provides both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber and can easily be added to foods and snacks that your family will enjoy.

Check out my recipe for homemade sauerkraut (link below). What kind of cabbage is your favorite? What are your favorite ways to serve cabbage? 

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Cabbage: 1 cup chopped (89 grams) - 22 calories, 0g fat, 2.2g dietary Fiber (9% DV), 33 mg Vitamin C (54% DV, WOW!), 68 mcg Vitamin K (86% DV), 38 mcg Folate (10% DV), 10 mg beneficial plant sterols

Excellent Source: Vitamin C, Vitamin K
Good Source:  Folate

*Reference:
EXPERT PANEL ON INTEGRATED GUIDELINES FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND RISK REDUCTION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS 
Related Links 
What states grow the most Cabbage?
National Nutrition Month® St. Patrick's Day Party! 
Phyto (plant) sterols
Homemade Sauerkraut with probiotics! 
10 Ways to Cook Cabbage
Blog Post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Go Further with Food logo used with permission.

Another easy-to-make Probiotic recipe! Kimchi #GardenCuizine #guthealth #functionalfoods

Napa Cabbage
Chinese Cabbage

Kimchi

Napa Cabbage Nutrition Data
Excellent Source: Vitamins A and C

Napa Cabbage stars as the main ingredient in Probiotic-rich Kimchi. Kimchi is a fermented Korean food that is traditionally served with rice. We started a mason jar full of homemade Kimchi yesterday! 

Making Kimchi is as easy as making sauerkraut. We made both at my cooking class: "A Gut Feeling for a Healthy New Year", which was held at Inspira Health Network. I adjusted the recipe slightly since then, adding more scallion and daikon. See below.

Ingredients
1 medium head Napa Cabbage (about 2.5 lbs)
2 Tablespoons sea salt (non-iodized)
2 cups Daikon radish sliced in matchsticks
4 scallions, chopped
1 Tblsp minced fresh Garlic
1 Tblsp minced fresh Ginger
1/2 teaspoon (or more) ground hot peppers (dried from your garden!)
1-2 Tblsp Fish sauce (optional)
Note: be creative! Try adding other vegetables, such as shredded carrots and/or sweet red peppers, which is common in store-bought versions. This will turn the color orange-red.

Putting it all together

• Rinse the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the core from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into bite size pieces. Add to large mixing bowl with everything except the daikon and scallions. 
• Wearing food handling plastic gloves, massage the salt into the cabbage. This will begin to release water from the cabbage. 
• Toss in the daikon and scallion. Combine well. Place into clean mason jar(s). Press down using tongs or spoon. Cover and set aside to ferment. We plan to let ours ferment for a few weeks before starting to eat it.
• The ideal room temperature to help with fermentation is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is colder, the fermentation takes longer. Check the Kimchi daily to allow natural gases to escape. Push down the top layer with a spoon to keep the vegetables covered in brine.
• Kimchi can be eaten anytime. Longer fermentation time allows for more probiotics. When you are pleased with the results, store in refrigerator. Kimchi will keep for months. Enjoy!

Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Just two ingredients to make-your-own Probiotic Sauerkraut #GardenCuizine #guthealth #probiotics

Probiotic Sauerkraut

The joy in preparing for my probiotic foods cooking class was introducing myself and the participants to homemade and store-bought fermented foods with live-cultures. Being new to fermentation myself, I ordered a few educational, how-to-ferment, cook books by James Beard Award-winning and NY Times bestselling author Sandor Ellix Katz. He is considered "The Johnny Appleseed of Fermentation" by Michael Pollan. Katz says in his book, Wild Fermentation, that for him, it all started with sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut is a good place to start for making food with probiotics. Our first batch of sauerkraut is fermenting now. We used the dry-salt method and did not add any water. When enjoying probiotic kraut in meals it is important to remember to eat it at room temperature or not to heat it too high or the beneficial live probiotic microorganisms will die.

Clean your Jars or Crock
To start your adventure in fermented food preparation, first decide what containers you would use. We washed out a few Mason canning jars that we had in our basement. We use them in jelly making and preserving our Jersey tomatoes - now they have yet another purpose - sauerkraut! 

You can readily find Mason jars at grocery markets and stores like Walmart and Target. Our next batch of kraut is going in our crock pot, for an even larger batch!

Only Two (2) Ingredients
Ferment time: 3 to 4 weeks or more (of course you could nibble sooner too) - taste and you decide! Fermentation for at least 9 days yields a more diverse group of microorganisms.

1. 1 head Green Cabbage  (note the weight)
2. non-iodized course sea salt- 1 Tablespoon per 2 lbs. (2% salt)

Method

• Rinse cabbage; discard any dirty, bruised leaves and core and shred the cabbage like you would for Coleslaw. 
• Add cabbage to large bowl and sprinkle top with salt. Squeeze and massage salt into shredded cabbage until you start to notice sweating and moistening of the cabbage. This indicates that cell walls are breaking and water within the veggie can seep out. 
• Stuff the cabbage loosely into clean jars. Then firmly tamp down using tongs or a wooden spoon. Cover and let nature do the rest!
• Check your kraut daily and open the lid to allow any natural gas to escape. Tamp down each time to press down the top cabbage pieces into the brine.
• For best results temperature should be between 68°F and 75°F

Congratulations! You've just completed Sauerkraut Fermentation 101. In your next batch try using other types of veggies. In his book, Sandor Katz suggests radishes, turnips, carrots, beets, garlic, greens, peppers and other veggies. Other options include: caraway seeds, turmeric, ginger or whatever else you can imagine.

People use many different methods to weigh down the top layer of cabbage to keep it under the brine. We didn't do anything. When we try a larger batch in a crock, I may use a stainless steel pot lid to press down the top.

There are several strains of desirable lactic acid bacteria that will develop and preserve your sauerkraut by lowering the pH. This type of bacteria are anaerobic so it won't matter if you want to cover your kraut with an airtight lid. Just remember to allow the natural gas that forms to escape daily.

We used a huge 4 lb. head of store-bought cabbage. Sliced it and added 2 T of salt. After massaging in the salt I took a taste. It tasted too salty. After one week I took another taste and it was so much better; still crunchy, but had the familiar flavor of sauerkraut. Success!

Trouble Shooting
What if Brine Does Not Cover Top of Cabbage?
As you can see from my photo above, our brine is not covering the top layer of cabbage in the first week. I'm thinking that the green cabbage that we used may not have had as much water in it's cell walls like homegrown, fresher cabbage probably would have. If that happens to your kraut too, an option would be to make a small amount of brine (non-iodized sea salt and water) and add it to the jars. 

Update 1/26/18: We waited three weeks before making and adding brine and by the third week, enough natural brine developed so we did not add any.
References and Related Links
Katz S., Wild Fermentation, Chelsea Green Publishing 2016

Plengvidhya V, Breidt F., Lu Z. et al, Applied Environmental Microbiology. DNA Fingerprinting of Lactic Acid Bacteria; 2007 Dec; 73(23): 7697–7702. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2168044/

Recommendations for Safe Production of Fermented Vegetables

Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@AmDiabetesAssn Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes #GardenCuizine #diabeticrecipe #lowcarb #Thanksgiving

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
low carb - fat free
high Vitamin C 

According to many parents I've spoken with, mashed cauliflower tastes so good that even children who don't eat their veggies will eat this. Pureed veggies add good nutrition for adults too, especially those on bariatric diets and anyone needing soft, pureed food. 

Nutrient dense cauliflower is considered a brassica or cruciferous veggie, which scientific studies show as being important for disease prevention. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare and is low in carbohydrates making it a healthy choice for diabetics, especially on Thanksgiving - a day known for excess carb consumption. 

Serves 6
Ingredients
Cauliflower 1 large head (840g)
2 cups water
1/4 cup dried potato flakes
salt and pepper

Putting it all together

• Wash and chop cauliflower into florets. Place cauliflower in pot and add water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and steam cauliflower in covered pot. Cook until really soft. Strain saving liquid.
• Puree in blender OR drain out some of the liquid and puree and mash the cauliflower right in the pot, adding back more liquid if needed. 
• Sprinkle in a little potato flakes to add desired texture. In my opinion, straight up cauliflower tends to lack the thicker, creaminess of potatoes; adding just a little potato flakes seems to perfect the recipe without adding any excess carbohydrates to worry about.  
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: no butter, milk or added fat needed if serving with gravy. If serving plain you may wish to add a tablespoon of butter, grated Parmesan cheese or Smart Balance spread.
 
GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes  
Serving size 1/6 recipe (147g)
Excellent Source: Vitamin C and Folate
Good Source: dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Potassium
44 Calories; total fat 0; total carbohydrate 9g; dietary fiber 4g (15% DV); net carbs: only 5g; Vitamin C (112% DV WOW!); Vitamin B6 0.3mg (18% DV); Folate 81mcg (81% DV); Potassium 452mg (13% DV); beneficial plant sterols 25mg
Related Links
November is National Diabetes Month

Recipe and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Quick Summer Slaw #cabbage #GardenCuizine #HealthyColeslaw #recipe

Quick Summer Slaw
High in Vitamin C 

Visit your local farmer's market during the summer for great prices on veggies. Yesterday, we picked up a few heads of locally grown cabbage for under $5.00 at our local farmer's market. This recipe only uses half the whole green cabbage and a small portion of the red cabbage, leaving the rest to use for other recipes. Who says you can't eat healthy on a budget?

Summer coleslaw is healthy and affordable and makes a great side dish for summer BBQ's and family summer meals. We enjoyed this homemade coleslaw with fried Flounder and brown rice! We have plenty of leftovers for sides with lunch and for toppings on sandwiches.

Yields 2 lbs Coleslaw
16, 2-ounce servings
Ingredients 
8 cups (712g) green Cabbage, shredded
1 cup (89g) Red Cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 carrot (30g), peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup lite mayo (60g) (for vegan, use soy mayo)
1/4 cup (56g) plain Greek yogurt (or soy yogurt)
2 Tablespoons capers (18g) (optional)
2 Tablespoons pickle or caper juice
2 Tablespoons (10g) apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons sugar (8g) (don't freak out about using real sugar! remember this makes many servings and 2 teaspoons is only 8 grams of sugar)
1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) salt
pinch ground black pepper

Putting it all together

• Wash cabbage and pull off outer leaves. Cut green cabbage in half. Put away and save one of the halves for use in other recipes. Cut half of the cabbage into wedges around the core. To save time, I used a food processor for chopping some of the cabbage wedges; be careful not to over chop. Thinly slice remaining green cabbage. Total shredded green cabbage should be about 8 cups. Place in a large mixing bowl.
• Cut a small piece off the red cabbage. thinly slice 1cup and add to green cabbage bowl. Store the rest to add color to salads and for use in other recipes.
• Wash and peel one carrot. Cut in half and thinly slice. Add to the cabbage bowl. Eat the other carrot half or save for other recipes.
• Add the mayo and remaining ingredients and toss until well blended. cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Summer Slaw: 2-ounce serving (~62g)
Diabetic Friendly: 3g net carbs 
Excellent Source: Vitamin C
Store bought coleslaw: higher in saturated fat and calories; often contains corn syrup and preservatives vs Homemade: only 31 calories, Total Fat: 1g; Saturated and Trans fats: 0g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium 111mg (5% DV); Total Carbohydrate 4g; Dietary Fiber: 1g (5% DV); Sugars 2g; Protein 1g; Vitamin A: 457 IU (9% DV); Vitamin C: 19.9 mg (33% DV)

Related Links
Cabbage Health Benefits

Photos and recipe Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Celebrate Cabbage Today! #GardenCuizine #NationalNutritionMonth #StPatricksDay

Celebrate Cabbage Today

No matter how you eat cabbage, raw or cooked, it is low in calories and a good source beneficial plant sterols, dietary Fiber and an excellent source of Vitamin C! 

Happy St. Patty’s Day! 

Eat something green today. Cabbage anyone?

• Coleslaw
• Boiled Cabbage
• Corned Beef and Cabbage
• Cabbage Chips
• Grilled Cabbage
• Kimchi-style Sautéed Cabbage
• Cabbage Soup
• Sauerkraut
• Borscht
• Cabbage with Apples
• Cabbage and Chickpeas with Mustard Seeds and Yogurt
  

… and many more! What’s your favorite recipe with cabbage?
GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Cabbage  
Raw: 100g (almost 1cup) = 25 calories, 0g total fat, Vitamin C 37mg (61% DV WOW!), Dietary Fiber 3g (10% DV), Folate 43 mcg (11% DV), Plant Sterols 11mg

Cooked, boiled: 100g = 23 calories, 0g total fat, Vitamin C 37.5 mg (62% DV WOW!), Dietary Fiber 2g (8% DV), Plant Sterols 10mg
Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

General Tsao Tofu Stir-fry with Broccoli Rabe and brown rice #GardenCuizine

General Tsao Tofu Stir-fry

with Broccoli Rabe 

served over Brown Rice

Ingredients
1 bunch Broccoli Rabe
1 pkg Nasoya extra firm tofu (tofuplus has added vitamins)
Garlic - generous portion minced
Vegetable oil (we use sesame oil or peanut oil)
General Tsao's bottled Stir-fry Sauce (a blend of soy sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, onion, garlic, spices; select whatever brand you prefer; available in most supermarkets; we select bottled sauces with natural ingredients) 

Prepare Broccoli Rabe
Rinse broccoli rabe; cut off thick ends; chop bunch into thirds; set aside in colander. Bring pot of water to boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and save the cooking liquid for other recipes (can use greens liquid when making quinoa, rice or soup). Set aside greens.

Stir Fry Tofu
Open package extra firm tofu, drain liquid. Line a pie plate with a clean dish towel and place the tofu in the center. Cover with the towel and place a few small cast iron skillets or other heavy weights on top as a press. Let excess water drain into towel for at least 30-minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

In a large wok, on high heat, add a few tablespoons sesame oil. When hot, add tofu. Stir-fry until slightly brown. Remove and set aside cooked tofu.

Stir Fry Broccoli Rabe
Add a little more oil to wok if needed. On high heat, stir-fry prepared broccoli rabe. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until broccoli rabe is tender. Push greens up the side of wok, away from direct heat. Add chopped garlic to the center for 1 minute and then stir together with the greens.

Add the cooked tofu back in and add a small amount of General Tsao's stir-fry sauce. (Read the label; bottled sauces are usually high in sodium, so use sparingly.) Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!

Brown Rice:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon minced hot pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch salt and black pepper

Cook rice in a rice cooker or on stovetop in a pot with a lid (we use 4-inch deep Corning-ware) saute onion in olive oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, stir. Stir in brown rice. Add water and pinch salt and pepper - bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer until all water is evaporated. 
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with Sumac #GardenCuizine #NNM

Roasted Sumac Spiced Cauliflower 

This National Nutrition Month explore new foods and enjoy the taste of eating right. Try this tasty side dish of roasted cauliflower with sumac. Simply toss chopped cauliflower with olive oil and seasonings and roast until desired doneness. The spices add extra nutrients, plus a speckle of color to the cauliflower. Sumac in particular, adds beneficial antioxidants and anthocyanins. Roasting vegetables brings out delicious flavor.

What is Sumac?
Sumac comes from ground dried berries that grow on sumac shrubs in Sicily, Turkey, North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan and elsewhere. According to Penzys Spices, Sumac (Rhus coriaria) was used for its sour flavor before the arrival of lemons in Europe by the ancient Romans. Today, you'll find sumac used in Arabic spice blends such as Za'atar or as a tabletop Middle Eastern condiment. Sumac taste has a slightly bitter/sour flavor, but is much less acidic and not anywhere near as tart as lemon.

Ingredients
1 small head fresh cauliflower
1 tablespoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese 
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Putting it all together
preheat oven to 350°F

Chop cauliflower into bite size pieces. Rinse in strainer; air dry. In a large bowl: toss with olive oil, grated cheese and spices. Spread in a baking dish and bake to desired tenderness. We bake it uncovered for at least 20 minutes before loosely covering with foil and continued roasting until tender. For a complete meal, serve as a side vegetable along with lean protein and whole grain.

Note: some sumac spices may have salt mixed in, even if it is not on the label; taste it and use your judgement. We use sumac from Palestine; it sure tastes like it has salt mixed in. Additional salt is usually NOT necessary, especially if using Parmesan cheese.

Buon Appetito!
Related Links
Eating Healthy with Cruciferous Vegetables
Photos and blog post Copyright ©2014 Wind. All rights reserved.