Healthy and Delicious Cooking

How wonderful to reconnect with old friends, after a long absence, and all because of Cauliflower! I had no idea that this vegetable had such a "cult following", but after I posted a couple of cauliflower blogs, both strangers and friends responded with calls for more. My friend, Bob, from Chicago, was one of those people.A few years had passed since we last spoke. Both of us, along with our partners, Skyped for over an hour, catching up on times gone by. Let that be a lesson to us all. If an embarrassingly long period of time has passed, don't ponder or procrastinate.  Reach out and retrieve your friends. Life happens, time rushes by. It happens to all of us, but it is no excuse for abandoning good friendships. Bob saw a woman at Patel grocery store , with a cart loaded with cauliflower. He surmised that she was going to prepare Alu Gobi, a classic Indian dish of cauliflower and potatoes. I have been making Madhur Jaffreys' version for years, and it remains a fami...

We have had hurricane Sandy and a Nor'easter Storm that carpeted our town with 4" of snow. It is cold and dark by 4:30, petrol is at a shortage, and public transportation is packed and slow. I cant think of a more perfect time to rush to the kitchen to cook up something warm and comforting. My Turkey and Carrot Stew with a Puree of Cauliflower would hit the mark. You may rethink Mashed Potatoes with this dish. The cauliflower is light, airy and decadent. It soothes the soul and warms the heart and chases away those Stormy Blues. RECIPE 4 Servings 1 small cauliflower 1/2 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons butter cayenne pepper (optional0 salt to taste Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower florets until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well. Spread the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, to dry it out. In a small saucepan, combine milk, and butter and bring to a simmer...

When I met my husband he ate 2 vegetables - spinach and broccoli. I like spinach and broccoli so I thought I could accommodate. After a month I did not want to look at either spinach or broccoli ever again. So I decided that I was going to make myself any vegetable I felt like, and he could just abstain. Cauliflower is the side dish that I prepared, and barely consumed, since Michael devoured most of it. The "spinach-broccoli era" had come to an end. Thank God! The moral of the story is that one can rethink their likes and dislikes when foods are prepared differently. I like to introduce people to simple Indian recipes because cooking Indian food seems daunting to many, my daughter, Layla, included. Here you roast the cauliflower with the onions and spices, sprinkle with herbs, and enjoy! RECIPE Serves 4-6 1 mediium cauliflower florets 1 medium red onion, peeled, and sliced 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons red...