Okay I tried the roasted cauliflower---laid it out on reynolds wrap, salt and peppered it added a little olive oil, cooked for 35 minutes at 400 degrees. It had no flavor, very dry....euch. This is my first attempt at a roasted vegetable I have heard so much about. WHAT DID I DO WRONG? There is no flavor at all! Please give me some suggestions on how to eat cauliflower that actually tastes good...but...maybe I cooked it wrong????

If it was dry, it was probably overcooked. I put my cauliflower in a ziplock, add the olive oil, salt and pepper (and sometimes garlic and/or onion powder) and shake, shake, shake so everything is evenly distributed. Then I roast it on the aluminum foil--your temperature sounds right, perhaps 20 minutes would have been enough.

I put Mrs. Dash on mine, and I actually cook it until it is brown and somewhat caramelized. Maybe more than other people cook it.

I'm going to tell you how I got used to eating so many vegetables, your mileage may vary. I first had to get used to the tastes and textures, etc. of the vegetables. It helped that I was doing a lower carb diet at the time, because I never counted fat nor was I counting calories at the time. So I started out using more fat than most people. Let's face it, most of us like the taste of oils/fat, especially if we have been eating the typical North American diet, so eating more oils/fats with my veggies made it more familiar and tasted better to me at the time. I believe that allowed me to ease into vegetables more simply than if I had tried to do it like I do now. Gradually I have used less and less oils/fats and I like the taste of the vegetables of their own more than I used to.

Now I am very careful with the calorie count and the amount of oil/fat that I use, but if I had had to do that early on, I think I would have been discouraged and wouldn't have liked as many vegetables as I do now. That wasn't something I planned, that's just the way it worked out. So something you may want to try, is to allow yourself some extra calories from fat/seasonings until you get used to the taste/texture of the vegetables. Just a suggestion, many people don't have to do this, but if you find yourself having trouble getting used to the taste of veggies, you many want to try it this way.

That makes sense, Tammy.
I think the reason so many people don't like vegetables is that they don't do anything flavorful with them. I like a variety of sauces and other ingredients to mix with them and that makes them so good.
Cauliflower is great with cheese sauce, and it does not take a lot of cheese sauce to make it great! I usually steam my cauliflower or cook it in a pan with a little bit of water, if I am going to put a cheese sauce over it. And the cheese sauce does not have to contain a lot of butter or anything to be afraid of (but then I am not following a specific plan.) Cauliflower is also good in curries, with other vegetables, and a sauce made with broth and curry seasonings. It's good in soup too!
Vegetables are lovely, because you can do so much with them besides eating them just plain.
I think another good transition source (from not so much vegetables to really tasty ways to make vegetables) can be found from Mollie Katzen http://www.molliekatzen.com/
She's my fave!

Regarding roasted vegetables...any of said same........my two cents is ...GARLIC. I can choke down any veggie, even, ummm, broccoli, if it has some garlic on it.....I agree, I tend to "over roast" rather than under, but whether it is cauliflower, or the dreaded broccoli, garlic does the trick...lots and lots of garlic.

And roasted RULES!

Yup, I also use garlic. Tons of fresh, chopped garlic. Yummy.

I also love cauliflower cooked in about an inch of chicken broth. For about 8 minutes.

Thank you all so much for the advice. I am out to buy garlic and chicken broth!

I put mine on my george foreman grill,cooked till browned and they are yummy! Both my kids love them too...so now I have to make more then I would normally.

I shake my veggies in a ziploc with a couple teaspoons of oil to coat. Then I add seasonings - my favorites are

ranch dressing mix powder (I buy in bulk at a bulk spices store).

chicken bouillon powder, garlic, pepper, parsley, chives

garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, dash of cayenne

taco seasoning mix (from a packet)

oriental stir fry, salad dressing, or satay mix (from an packet)

dry italian dressing mix (from a packet).


You've probably noticed a theme here. We have a overstock store that gets in a lot of seasoning mixes, salad dressings, broth mixes... in single use packets. They sell them for a dime to twenty cents, so I usually pick up a bunch, and use them in roasting veggies, and also as meat rubs, or in marinades. I also sometimes mix up my own, but I have a really small kitchen now, and don't have much room for a lot of spices, so the little premixed packages are handy.

There is an art to roasting veggies. It takes some practice to pull them out at the exact right moment. Too soon and they're kind of blah, and too late and they're burnt and yucky. At just the right moment, they carmelize with some smoky crispy edges, and a tender, almost creamy center.

I like cauliflower and other veggies on sandwiches. You can put on onion, pickle, barbeque sauce and other condiments just like a regular sandwich. You won't even miss the burger. I sometimes cook onions and put barbeque sauce on them while cooking and the put it on the cauliflower sandwich with dill pickle.........or mustard and onion.......whatever.

Hey goingcrazy...I think I may have suggested this in another one of your threads, but in case it wasn't you: I like to "mash" my cauliflower...I cook the cauliflower (either steam or boiled, but not covered with water, more of sauteeing with the lid on) until they are pretty soft and then I mash them with some parmesan and salt and pepper added. Oh and garlic power too. They are good and flavorful that way. Don't give up on your veggies, you'll find your way to veggieland!

2 heads cauliflower
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup canned chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
olive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup coarsely shredded Parmesan or pecorino

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Break apart the cauliflower into large florets and cut off the thicker stems. Set the cauliflower pieces stem side down in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Pour the wine and broth into the dish and spray cauliflower with a few sprays of the olive oil spray. Sprinkle with the oregano, and salt and pepper, to taste. Scatter the garlic over everything. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 30 minutes. The florets should fall apart if you poke them with your finger.

Meanwhile, stir the bread crumbs, chopped parsley, and 1 tablespoon olive oil together in a small bowl. When the cauliflower is tender, sprinkle the bread crumb mix and the cheese over the florets and put the dish, uncovered, back in oven until the topping is browned, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

I hope you all don't mind if I print out your recipies and use them. You all have very creative minds! I grew up on southern cooking, meat and potatoes and very few greens (my Dad didn't like many vegetables), and desserts and breads. So, I have to rediscover vegetables other than starchy ones. I like green beans fried in a skillet with smart balance butter and no liquid....but, then again, that is fried too. I did Atkins for a year, but that got old to me after a while, but I did mash cauliflower with half and half and butter and sour cream. I am looking for healthier ways to eat and you all are helping me so much. Thank you!