Cauliflower Based Pasta Sauce
Cruciforous Vegetables are Very Healthy
I've been rediscovering my lifelong love of the versatile cauliflower. Cruciforous vegetables keep popping up in articles I've been reading about healthy foods. So I decided to take a head of cauliflower and steam it. Then I took out the food processor, added the steamed cauliflower (except for the floret or two I snuck into my mouth), a bit of almond "milk" and 2 tablespoons Tahini. I pureed the whole "business" and added filtered water (about 1/2 cup twice, so 1 cup total) or more almond "milk". I had sauteed some veggies (a few mushrooms, a quartered-sliced zucchini, and a handful of shredded carrots, but any collection of sauteed veggies will do, so choose veggies you like) and added 1/2 the veggies to the sauce and pureed again. I then took the rest of the veggies and stirred them into the sauce. I later put the sauce on a package of cooked mung bean noodles and mixed it all together. It came out really delicious.
Other Things you Can Do with the Cauliflower Sauce
In addition to the mung bean noodles, I have also used this recipe for lasagna and as a sauce for my home made gnocchi.
So, to make the lasagna, I took a large can Muir Glenn fire roasted chopped tomatoes (you can choose whatever tomato product you like) and spooned out a layer on the bottom of a foil lined 8" square aluminum baking pan (this time, since I had "stuff" left over the first time, I used a second pan -- a loaf pan, and made a second slightly smaller lasagne). I then put a layer of mung bean noodles (I didn't fully cook them -- I just dropped them in boiling water, turned off the flame, and strained out the boiling water) by spoonfuls. Then I spooned on a layer of the cauliflower sauce, another layer of tomatoes and I topped the whole thing with a sprinkling of chopped almonds (any nut will do here).
As you can probably tell, there is a lot of room for your own additions or subtractions or just adjustments. I used garlic in the sauteed veggies but didn't add any spices this time (sometimes, when I'm making the cauliflower sauce I add turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, garam masala, etc.). Spicing is definitely a way to personalize this dish.
To make the gnocchi, I took two jars of organic baby food, one jar of sweet potatoes and one jar of winter squash, and added some spices (I like the curry spices -- I added turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika and ginger) and sprouted grain wheat flour (I started with 1/2 cup, then added more by tablespoon until it got to a firm consistency -- I ended up with about 3/4 of a cup). When the dough was smooth, I put up some filtered water in a pot to boil.
I then took the dough and took small amounts (that I then shaped into a ball, more or less, with a thumbprint in the middle) and dropped up to six at a time into water with a rolling boil. After making sure they didn't stick to the bottom of the pot (that usually only happens when the water isn't boiling vigorously enough), I wait until the little orange balls float to the top. Then I set the timer for one minute and let them boil another minute. After the timer buzzes, take the dough-balls out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Do this until you have created dough-balls with all the dough. You can put these in the refrigerator or the freezer or serve them immediately (with the cauliflower sauce or a sauce of your choosing).
Mung Bean Noodles
This is a high protein vegan food. If you can't find it at a health food or natural food store near you, it is available on line (click on the picture of the bag of noodles to link to a place that sells them).
Compugraph Designs Spoonflower Site
Spoonflower is a place where a designer can design his/her own fabric. I have some designs on fabric there -- click on the picture to see all the fabric designs.
If you've come up with some ways you have adjusted this recipe, please share them with us. Or if you like or dislike this recipe, share that too.
