Nor is it Pasta or pizza crust. It isn’t even rice. Most cooks can figure this out in short order.

Don’t get me wrong, I love cauliflower, but I want cauliflower to be itself, not some pretender. I love mashed potatoes, pasta and pizza crust. Rice… not so much, so I sure don’t want “rice” made from cauliflower. I want cauliflower to shine on its own..

I understand the “carb” thing. We want to limit carbs in our diets, so we look for substitutions for the potatoes, flour and butter that carbs usually have contain. But we need to be fair to cauliflower. It’s one of the healthiest foods on earth and has attributes of it’s own, not all requiring additional fats. It’s high in antiflammatoids(today’s big word of the day). It fights cancer, brain disease, heart disease and helps prevent weight gain.

So, let’s give cauliflower a chance to do it’s own thing and not make it into something else. Cauliflower is one of those foods that easily take on the flavor of whatever it’s combined with(I know.. a dangling participle), just as zuchinni and mushrooms do. That leaves it susceptible to being used as a substitute for high carb foods. It has it’s own subtle taste that is easily accentuated. Let me give you two recipes where cauliflower can be itself. One, I’ll admit, is fattening, but delicious the way my Mother fixed it. The second recipe is more in line with with watching your carbs. Give them both a try and appreciate cauliflower without pretense.

Cheesy Cauliflower

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1+ Cups Cheddar Cheese (grated and to taste)

1/2 Cup Milk

1 head of Cauliflower, 5-6″, lightly boiled

Mix first three items and heat in small pot.

Drain cauliflower, place in casserole dish and cover with cheese/soup mixture.

Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

OK, now for the “better for you” recipe. Not only is this easier, but it is also delicious.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, 5-6″, broken into flowerettes

2 cloves garlic, sliced

Drizzle cauliflower and garlic with Olive oil, tossing to coat.

Roast in 400 degree oven until lightly browned. A sprinkling of parmesan cheese is a great addition.

I hope you’ll try one or both of these recipes and realize that cauliflower just ISN’T mashed potatoes.