Don't Write Cauliflower off Completely

So this poor cruciferous veggie gets such a horrible rep, but the truth is it's because most people aren't cooking with it to its full potential. It can be used in so many ways so read on and then grab a head of your favorite variety and give it a go.

Let's start with the new trendy way to use it:

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower is composed primarily of H20. Moisture is your mortal enemy when pursuing a crispy pizza crust. One word times three: DRAIN DRAIN DRAIN. In order to mimic flour, the first rule of thumb is to wring out the water by placing the fine cauliflower 'crumbs' in a towel. You'll be shocked how much water will come out. But it's worth it for the result it yields.

This brings me to...

Cauliflower Rice

This has become more and more popular as it has a similar mouth-feel as cous cous. Low carbers love this and the pizza option as substitutes. But how do you get that fine crumble? Adding handful upon handful of florets to your food processor WON'T DO IT. I promise. You need to be patient with this task and do one handful at a time. Your free time might not thank you, but your food processor will.

Sauteeing it?

Now why would you go and do that? Hey, you tried. But the very nature of the harder cruciferous veggie is that it has uneven surfaces. You won't achieve any caramelization. Your best bet here is to season it up and get it in your oven on a higher temperature. It will color beautifully.

Pickled

No I don't mean eat it with pickles! Lol. This happens to be one of my favorites. The tangy flavor lends itself well to the heartiness of the cauliflower.

So grab some next time you head to the market and give it a go!