Sunday, March 9, 2014

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!
I'm Blogging National Nutrition Month
Related Links
Eating Healthy with Cruciferous Vegetables

Photos and blog post Copyright ©2014 Wind. All rights reserved.

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