About Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a brassica, and very closely related to broccoli. In fact, you can interchange them in many recipes. It is a really fun and versatile vegetable, available in a variety of colors. Try slicing the heads, and grilling cauliflower "steaks", or use cauliflower crumbles as you would rice. If you like to experiment with your recipes, this is the veggie to let your creativity go wild! Cauliflower takes to spices beautifully. Add a little curry to a creamy cauliflower soup, or hot peppers to a stir fry. Capers and olives also pair really well, and are excellent when added to cauliflower pasta dishes.

About colored cauliflower

The orange color in cheddar cauliflower comes from extra beta-carotene being naturally stored in its florets; it has 25% more vitamin A than white! It’s also slightly sweeter and creamier than white, so it's especially good mashed, put in a gratin, sautéed, or roasted. There is also a similar, yellow variety.

Purple cauliflower gets its beautiful hue from the presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which is also found in red cabbage and red wine. Color varies from pale to jewel-toned.

Green "broccoflower" and the pointy-tipped romanesco varieties offer lots more vitamin A and C than white cauliflower. They have a true cauliflower flavor when raw, but become much milder and more broccoli-like when cooked.

Storage

Loosely wrap cauliflower with a dry cloth or paper towel and keep in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator, with stem side down. Heads will often last up to 2 weeks, but if you break the head into florets, it will not last as long. Do not wash until ready to use. Moisture will cause the cauliflower to deteriorate more quickly.

Cauliflower stems and leaves are edible -and delicious, so feel free to chop and add them to your salads and other dishes!

Nutrition

Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, K, and is loaded with other antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Liz Talley, Urban Graze

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