Indian-Inspired Turmeric Cauliflower Stew

ACTIVE PREP TIME: 20-25 MIN
SERVES: 6 (as a side dish)

Cauliflower is a supremely versatile vegetable. It can be roasted, steamed, riced or sautéed in spices. It can be used as a lower-calorie, more nutrient-dense substitute for a traditional pizza crust or mashed potatoes. And it can add color and character to your plate with its yellow, orange, green and purple variants.

When it’s in season, which runs from September through June in California, cauliflower regularly finds its way to our dinner plates.

Here’s a cozy, Indian-inspired turmeric cauliflower stew that will warm your insides as winter fades to spring. It works as both a side dish and a main course.

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower (steamed)

• 1 medium red onion (chopped)

• 1 medium shallot

• 1 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

• 1 can (15 oz) of tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon (Blackstrap) molasses

• 1 tablespoon turmeric

• 1/4 cup cilantro

• Olive oil to sautée

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, sautée red onions and shallots over medium heat

2. Add turmeric

3. Add coconut milk, tomato sauce and tomato paste, while stirring

4. Add molasses, while stirring

5. Add cooked cauliflower and remaining ingredients

6. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally

A couple of notes on ingredients:

Coconut Milk Coconut milk is a much cleaner and non-dairy substitute for heavy cream. It adds a rich, creamy texture. Use coconut milk that is canned and full-fat, with no added sugars. Although high in saturated fat, it also contains a strong array of nutrients such as calcium, iron and vitamin C.

Blackstrap Molasses Blackstrap molasses is the thick, dark and bitter syrup that remains after sugar cane is boiled several times to extract the sugar. While sugar is completely devoid of nutrients, blackstrap molasses contains nutrients like vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron and selenium, among many others. Its bitter flavor pairs well with this savory dish.

Eat away!

Quick Wild Salmon Salad Dinner

This week, I am featuring healthy, home-cooked meals that can be prepared quickly and efficiently, from easy-to-source ingredients.

One of the most challenging aspects about parenting is feeding your family meals that are delicious and nutritiously nourishing, while also being quick. That means no refined white flour pasta, preservative-laden sauces or packaged side dishes. That would be the easy way out.

Eating clean often takes time, planning and lots of made-from-scratch ingredients. But it need not be a burden if your kitchen and pantry are prepared and stocked, ahead of time, for the most common vegetables and other essentials.

I am reminded of a quote by Louis Pasteur:

“Chance favors the prepared mind.”

This works in cooking as well as in business or personal matters.

My kids have come to expect restaurant-style cooking every night. But sometime the wife needs a break. Here’s a meal that she prepared in about 10 minutes. It was a hit, too!

• Canned wild salmon with mayonnaise, paprika and chopped yellow onion

• Romaine lettuce and chopped red onion with olive oil and vinegar

• Sliced candy stripe beets (we almost always have some steamed beets on hand)

• Watermelon radish slices (this one is a favorite of our 7-year-old)

We purchased the wild salmon, organic olive oil and organic apple cider vinegar from Costco (all Kirkland). Everything else was purchased at the Larchmont Village farmer’s market in Los Angeles, from vendors including Underwood Farms and Sunrise Farms.

What are some quick and healthy meals that you’ve prepared for your family lately? Where did you buy the raw materials?