Turmeric & Ginger Roasted Cauliflower | Thankful Thursdays

I’m putting the horse a little before the cart here by posting this recipe for Turmeric & Ginger Roasted Cauliflower. There’s a back story to it, and that might not make sense fully until I explain it. I’ve started writing about in another post, one I’l be sharing next week about this detox of sorts I’m doing.

Honestly, that last sentence was not an easy one to write. While I strongly believe in “to each her own”, I’ve always been a believer that everything in moderation is fine, provided you don’t have predetermined sensitivies or allergies, of course. That approach seemed to work really well in my 20s and 30s. Well, everything they tell you about turning 40—I didn’t want to believe it, but there’s a change happening with the inner mechanics of my body.

Last week, I decided it was time to really take stock (funny for the girl who always makes homemade stock, eh?). This isn’t about wanting to lose weight, although I’m so not complaining if that happens. I’ve actually lost 5 pounds during the last month, by just being active, long walks along the reservoir once a day. My goal is twice a day, if only I could find the time.

But, as usual, I’ve gone a little off course here. So, about this detox, of sorts. It’s been a challenge, but a good one. It’s opened my eyes up to the reality that while there are foods I love, have loved my whole life, they don’t love me back the way I need to. I mean, really, with all I’ve been through relationship-wise, now my food is rebelling against me?

I think once my little experiment is done, I’ll be able to add most of the foods back into my diet, just not all once, and certainly not in excess. Somewhere along the way this past year, I lost my healthy relationship with everything that goes into my body. I began eating meat way more than I enjoyed. Coffee was my BFF, and probably running through my veins from drinking so much of it. And I really love wine with dinner, or a cocktail while cooking.

This recipe for Turmeric & Ginger Roasted Cauliflower is not only healthy, it’s also delicious. | In Jennie’s Kitchen

Then there’s the portion sizes I became accustomed to eating this last year. Good gravy (that’s a Mikey saying). It all morphed into this perfect storm, and I could feel my gut burning, screaming to take notice. And so I did, finally.

Since I’m a cold-turkey kind of person, I went to bed one night, deciding that when I woke up, it would truly be a new day. Gone was my morning ritual of hand grinding coffee beans. I went back to starting the day with a more soothing cup of tea, fresh mint and lemon verbena picked from the garden.

I’ve been focusing on my mental wellness with meditation in the mornings. It’s not as long as I’d like, but it’s a start. And I’ve been doing planks every morning to work on my core.

As for what I’m eating, well, it’s probably easier to say what I’m not eating. No coffee, no alcohol, no nightshade vegetables, (mostly) no refined sugars (and very limited unrefined sugars), no meat, no dairy, no eggs, and I’m being mindful of the gluten I consume, too. That is a whole lot of no’s!

But, for all the no’s, it’s really not that awful. Cutting out meat was a real no-brainer for me. I’ve had an on-off relationship with eating it the last few years. Perhaps this will just be one of those phases. I don’t imagine I’ll never eat another real meatball again, but who knows. And I have these amazing lentil meatballs I can make in their place. Oh, wait, those have dairy.

A dry-roasting method, with just the slightest drizzle of oil, is the key to perfectly roasted cauliflower in this Turmeric & Ginger Roasted Cauliflower recipe. | In Jennie’s Kitchen

That’s where I’m not being a total hard ass on myself. I’ll make exceptions here and there. It’s just the pasta dinner with tomato sauce and red wine, well, those have to be sometimes meals. Otherwise, it’s a triple punch to my gut. My friend Silvana said it perfectly, she tries to stick to an 80/20 philosophy, making healthy choices 80 percent of the time, and just going for it the other 20 percent. I was on that course, but flipped around, indulging the majority of time.

See, time is a funny thing for me. I easily slip into this “life is too short, I want to die with a doughnut in my mouth” attitude. If I knew I were going to kick tomorrow, I’d be double fisting Krispy Kremes. But I don’t know that. What I do know is that I have to get back to a healthy understanding of indulgence.

And so, here I am, sharing this recipe for Turmeric & Ginger Roasted Cauliflower.

I’m even developing an amicable relationship quinoa, so there’s hope for me yet. I’ve been obsessed with cauliflower, and love drinking this turmeric tea, but it never occurred to me to combine the two until I saw a photo on Pinterest last week.

It’s a zinger when you add ginger to the mix. I opted for dried turmeric here so it would cling to the cauliflower. Forewarning—dried turmeric can be bitter. I added a whisper of maple syrup to tame it. Frankly, it could’ve used more, and you should do just that, if you want. I’m trying to retrain my palate to crave less sugar, and you have to start somewhere, right? Overall, though, I really love it.

I’ve gotten in the habit of making quinoa bowls, like the one you see here. I tossed cooked quinoa with torn tuscan kale, sliced almonds, some of this turmeric & ginger roasted cauliflower, and either the apple cider vinaigrette or champagne vinaigrette from Dress It Up Dressing. Since I’m thinking so much about what I eat, having a salad dressing I don’t have to think about has really felt comforting, like one piece of the puzzle is solved (and I’m not saying this just because I work for the company).

Okay, it’s ridiculously late, and time for me to step away from the computer and get some shut eye. Sleep is the other part of my wellness makeover that I’m working on (and no where close to mastering). Thankfully, I found a new, lovely sitter last week, to help out, so that elusive thing we call balance might just be achieved.

Turmeric & Ginger Roasted Cauliflower | Thankful Thursdays

Be sure to use a spatula when combining the ingredients, otherwise you'll have yellowish-orange stained hands from the turmeric.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 1 head of cauliflower tough ends trimmed & florets cut up
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2- inch piece of fresh ginger grated
• Sea salt to taste
• Scant drizzle of olive oil
• Drizzle of pure maple syrup

Instructions

 

• Start by preheating your oven to 375ºF (190ºC) with a rimmed sheet pan on the rack.
• Meanwhile, add all of the ingredients to a bowl. Using a spatula, stir until the cauliflower is well-coated.
• Once the oven is good to go, remove the pan, and add the cauliflower. You’ll hear a sizzle; that's exactly what you want. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through. This way the cauliflower gets a nice golden sear as it cooks.
• Serve hot, or let cool completely, and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Some more cauliflower inspired recipes from my friends at Food Network’s Fall Fest:

The Lemon Bowl: Za’atar Crusted Cauliflower Steaks
Hey Grill Hey: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Burst Tomato Salad
Devour: 4 Sneaky Ways to Replace Carbs with Cauliflower
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Curried Cauliflower “Risotto” with Apples
Taste with the Eyes: Not Your Average Crudités Platter
Healthy Eats: All the Ways to Eat Cauliflower
The Mom 100: Sauteed and Braised Cauliflower with Mustard Seeds and Green Peppercorns
Swing Eats: Cauliflower Fritters With Cheese, Jalapeño And Cilantro (Gluten-Free)
Creative Culinary: Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese Frosting
FN Dish: 7 Cauliflower Recipes That Aren’t Quite What They Seem