Monday, June 20, 2022

Fast and Simple Spicy Cauliflower

 This is a fast, simple, nutritious, and oh so yummy dish! Oh, and it's cheap too, which is becoming more and more of an issue for many of us these days! There are just a few ingredients, although more could be added. It's a good thing to have in the fridge to use in various ways as well. 

We don't have a freezer, but I still buy frozen veg and berries when we do our weekly shop, which is usually at Aldi and Lidl. I bring home whatever bags of frozen produce I've bought that day and wrap a pile of the bags in a towel before placing it in the fridge. Things stay partially frozen for a day or two that way and these things cool down the small fridge a bit so it doesn't run as much--a bit less electricity used! ๐Ÿ˜„ By the time we get home, I usually don't feel like cooking them, but I do prepare them within the next day or two. It's handy to have containers of veg in the fridge, ready to go when I want them. The berries are placed in containers for use in yogurt, muesli, or porridge.

One day I had a partial bag of cauliflower in the fridge that had completely thawed and I needed to cook it. I also had wholemeal wraps in the cupboard. This is what I ended up with--and I loved it! I bought another bag of cauliflower just to make more of it, which I did in time for lunch.
It doesn't look like much, but it has a lot of flavour.๐Ÿ˜‹

I don't have amounts of ingredients--they're not really needed. Just use how much of each thing you like/have.
Spicy Cauliflower
Thaw some frozen cauliflower (or use fresh if you'd rather--it just takes more time) and cut it up into smaller chunks, if necessary. Chop an onion. I used a red onion, but any kind will work. Put some olive oil, or oil of your choice, in a pan. Add the cauliflower and onion and stir for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add spices. I used garlic granules, oregano, hot chilli powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and dried coriander leaves. Stir well so spices are incorporated, add a bit of water and let simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the cauliflower is the way you like it. Add in some dried jalapeno or red chilli flakes, if desired.

I love this on a wholemeal wrap with chilli cheese or--my favourite--the smoked cheese with jalapeno we can sometimes get at Aldi/Lidl. I place the cheese on the wrap and put the cauliflower on top. The cheese melts and provides a creamy texture which goes nicely with the chunky cauliflower and the spices. Vegan cheese could be used instead.

That's all I have on mine, but of course, anything at all could be added, both to the pan or to the wrap. Other veg could be used. Different herbs and spices would give a totally different flavour, even with the same base ingredients. It would be good on a roll, in taco salad, over rice or another grain. To make it really simple, instead of adding the spices, a packet of taco seasoning could be used instead. 

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods today.





4 comments:

Joy said...

Definitely sounds yummy to me. I have done quite a bit with cauli-rice because I can't eat usual rice or quinoa anymore. One of my new favorite spices to add to things is chipotle. Sometimes it's easier to find a chipotle salsa or chipotle sauce than the powder, they're all wonderful! It's really helped bring down some of my sinus and lowers inflammation so I put it on whatever I can get away with from eggs to salad to steamed veg.

If you want to 'beef up' the wrap you could dice up some zucchini or yellow squash to cook down with the onions, maybe also add some sliced garlic at the same time?

Shari Burke said...

Yup, lots of ways to jazz it all up! Chipotle isn't widely available here, but I use jalapeno (from a jar) and/or dried red chilli flakes.

Joy said...

I use a jalapeno seasoning powder and chili powder or flakes in my 'hot blend'. I have a whole group of 'hot' things that I put into foods that helps all my health stuff at the same time as adding such nice flavor, so why not. I saw the jar of Jalapenos on another post. A few years ago i started machine mincing sliced jalapenos in the jar so I could sneak them into more things lol. Have you made chili rellenos yet? Stuffed poblano's are amazing!

Shari Burke said...

I've had them, but poblanos aren't available here either. The only fresh chillis I can get are the small red pointy ones--Thai food is more available here than Mexican, although that's changing a bit so maybe someday...