Winter Roasted Cauliflower with Goat Cheese
Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that can be completely transformed – it can be chopped into rice, breaded and baked into buffalo “bites,” topped with cheese and marinara as a Parmigiana dish, pureed to thicken dairy-free soups, and even made into pizza crusts.
However, here, it’s enjoyed simply in a side dish that would look exquisite on your Christmas table. After you all loved my Farro Salad for your Thanksgiving table, I figured I’d share another recipe for the holidays and this time, it’s festive (thanks to bright red pomegranates and snowy goat cheese) and one of those perfect compliments to anything you’re serving over the holidays. Ham? Yes. Seven fishes? Yes.
We all could use some more vegetables in over the holidays and this will ensure you’re getting them in – deliciously! The goat cheese melts slightly into the hot cauliflower, the spiced pecans are perfectly sweet thanks to maple syrup and cinnamon, and the pomegranates give this dish a bright burst of flavor.
Changing things up in 2020
You may notice something…. this recipe is not spiralized. There’s no spiralized component in this recipe.
That’s because I’ve decided that, moving forward, Inspiralized will be a place for both spiralized and not-spiralized recipes.
WHAT?! Yes. I’ve thought a lot about this move and to be honest, it’s been already happening over on Instagram, so it feels only natural to transition it to the blog.
As much as I still love spiralizing, I don’t eat spiralized food for every meal. Shocking, I know. And as a mother of two, I have to be precise with my time, and can no longer make recipes just to be photographed and eaten by me – I have two other little mouths to feed, that don’t want to eat spiralized food all the time (Luca, to my grave dismay, actually doesn’t like anything noodle shaped!) Therefore, most recipes I make for this blog have to also be enjoyed as a meal for my little ones.
Therefore, there will be a balance of spiralized and non-spiralized recipes here. This isn’t totally new, because my last cookbook, Inspiralized & Beyond, was mostly not-spiralized recipes.
But what’s the common thread? Vegetables! I love transforming vegetables. Whether turning a zucchini into a pasta noodle or a slab of cauliflower into a vegetarian Parmigiana, my favorite way to cook is to turn vegetables, legumes, and other plant-based foods into something absolutely delicious.
Actually, we’re really coming full circle, because the subtitle of my first cookbook is actually, “Turn Vegetables Into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals!”
Anyway, just wanted to formally give you the heads up that things will look a little different around here, but I am so excited. I can’t wait to share more of the recipes I make for our family everyday with you all – and flex my creative muscles even more!
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Nutritional Information & Recipe
Winter Roasted Cauliflower with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon about 1/8 teaspoon
- 1/3 cup raw pecans
- kosher salt to garnish
- 1 large head cauliflower
- olive oil to drizzle (about 2 tablespoons)
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and cinnamon. Add the pecans and toss well to combine. Spread the pecans out on the parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in the oven. When done, garnish with kosher salt.
- While pecans cook, separate the cauliflower into florets. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the cauliflower. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cauliflower to the oven and once the pecans are done, raise the heat to 425 degrees, and roast for 30-40 more minutes or until very fork tender.
- Once the cauliflower is done, immediately garnish with the goat cheese (this is important so it melts a bit on the hot cauliflower.) Then, lightly chop the pecans and garnish the cauliflower. Top with pomegranates.
- Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and serve.
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