WHOLE CAULIFLOWER ROAST

I never used to think of cauliflower as a “sexy” vegetable.  This recipe changed all that for me.  Roasting it whole with flavor-enhancing garlic, smoked paprika, and oregano transforms ordinary cauliflower into, well, let’s just say—VAVOOM!  Its cancer-fighting, immune-strengthening, health-promoting properties are a bonus.

First a word about oil.

Cooking with oil is a heated subject.  This is because we probably weren’t meant to get our oil intake from anything other than the whole foods from which the oil is extracted.  In order for oils to withstand high cooking temperatures, they require some degree of refining.  However, once oils are refined their nutrient quality diminishes.  That’s the sad truth.  The trick, therefore, is to select the healthiest version possible, use as little as possible in cooking, and to pair it with ingredients that offer the most nutrition possible.

So, here’s my criteria for selecting a cooking oil:

• Non-GMO
• Organic
• Expeller-pressed
• Naturally-refined in the absence of light and high heat

For this roast cauliflower I used an organic avocado-coconut-high oleic safflower oil blend by Chosen Foods, but I used extra-virgin olive oil for the Lemon-Tahini Sauce.

And now for the recipe you have been waiting for:

2 tablespoons oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 cauliflower, stem trimmed and leaves removed

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup toasted walnuts, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

LEMON-TAHINI SAUCE

¼ cup lukewarm water

3 tablespoons tahini paste

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

• Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
• Whisk together water, oil, tahini paste, lemon (zest and juice), salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Mix together the seasonings (garlic, paprika, oregano) with the oil.
• Place whole cauliflower on a baking pan.
• Brush the cauliflower with the oil-seasoning mixture.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake 40-50 minutes, until tender and golden.
• When done, sprinkle with toasted walnuts and chopped parsley.
• Slice cauliflower and serve with sauce.