2 October 2020
Cauliflower: A Vegan’s MVP
Cauliflower here, cauliflower there… For a few seasons now, this cruciferous vegetable has been shaking up our culinary habits with its all-purpose vegetable attribute! It steals the spotlight on the menus of the most trendy restaurants, and so in a variety of recipes. The cauliflower has more than one trick in its bag: this vegetable can be cooked with every sauce and takes our taste buds – and our scepticism! – by surprise as soon as it is ground, seasoned, roasted, etc. Spotlight on the countless benefits (and uses) of cauliflower.
Its many attributes
The cauliflower takes over market stalls during fall and winter. Of the cruciferous vegetable family (like broccoli), we salute its versatility. Crisp under the tooth when crunched raw it is softened when cooked. The cauliflower is also a valuable ally for our health! Rich in vitamins C, B6 and B9, as well as fiber, selenium and manganese, it is low-calorie, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and diuretic. Sweet to taste, it comes in three main varieties: white, purple and orange. Note: we recommend you eat (or freeze!) when its flowers are tight
Its multiple benefits
Nutritionists refer to cauliflower as a superfood, because if eaten regularly (and preferably raw), it could help reduce the risk of lung, colon, kidney and ovarian cancer. Boiled cauliflower provides vitamin C, which helps to maintain healthy teeth, bones and cartilages. Vitamin B6 for its part offers the immune system with the best tools, and B9 helps both cell regeneration and wound healing.
Its versatility
Gone are the days when cauliflower was served only boiled or dipped! Bold and ingenious, chefs now like to bluff their guests by heightening the taste as well as the texture of cauliflower through their 100% vegan creations. So much so that this darling cruciferous vegetable has become popular sliced, crushed, crumbled and cooked to perfection. No wonder whole cookbooks are dedicated to it! Whether in the grocery store or the ready-to-eat section, we now find pizzas with cauliflower crust, chicken-like nuggets from fried cauliflower and even a variety of sauces with a cauliflower puree base! Chameleon and so delicious, we thank the cauliflower…
Vegans love cauliflower in all its forms! And it’s understandable: raw, in papillote, on the grill, pan-fried, poached, pureed or baked, this handy cruciferous vegetable is good on any occasion. From June to November, cauliflower is grown across the country (Quebec produces half of all Canadian crops). We simply have to let our imagination run wild to find new vocations for him. Here are our mouth watering suggestions: a gratin with the Swisso vegan cheese, served as a side to the Classicoseitan roast or as a pizza dough enhanced with slices of Pizzaroni seitan stick. Ready? Set. Cauliflower!