Wow your family with veggies tonight

Fran Simon fsimon@tulane.edu
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Cauliflower can be found in white, purple or golden varieties at the Crescent City Farmers Market at University Square on Tuesday mornings beginning at 9 a.m.

Cauliflower can be found in purple, green or golden varieties, as well as white, at the Crescent City Farmers Market at University Square on Tuesday mornings beginning at 9 a.m. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)


If you"re looking for a fresh approach to dinnertime, Leah Sarris, executive chef and program director of the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University, said fresh winter vegetables — such as cauliflower — are abundant now and make tasty main dishes.

“We want to make great-tasting food that happens to be good for you,” Sarris said.

“Make smarter choices when you prepare meals. There is lots of nutritional benefit in colored vegetables.”—Leah Sarris, Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine

When dreaming up new recipes, Sarris first considers taste, then appearance and nutritional guidelines such as an acceptable calorie count (500 to 600 calories per dinner), high fiber (10 g) and sodium that is under 500 mg per meal.

Check out these recipes.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

The “secret” is using cauliflower to thicken the sauce, rather than a roux, Sarris said. Serves 6 (1 ½ cups per serving).

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 ½ cups milk, low-fat (1 percent)
2 teaspoons butter
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup low-fat cheddar cheese, sharp, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 quarts water
13 ounces whole wheat elbow or penne pasta

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in cauliflower, and cook until easily mashed with a fork.

2. Transfer cauliflower to a blender. Add the milk, butter, salt, parmesan cheese, low-fat cheddar cheese, and cayenne pepper and puree until very smooth. You can also use an immersion blender or food processor.

3. In a large saucepan or small stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the whole wheat pasta and cook until al dente (about 12 minutes), or it still has a little bite.

4. When the pasta is done cooking, strain the water and add the pasta back into the pot. Add the cauliflower sauce to the pasta and slowly heat back up, stirring often.

5. Enjoy immediately.

Beet and Carrot Burgers

After you bake these burgers, you can wrap them individually and freeze them for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. Just thaw them and throw them in the oven or microwave, Sarris said. Makes 4 burgers or 12 sliders.

Ingredients:

2 medium beets, washed and peeled
4 medium carrots, washed and peeled
½ medium onion
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup quick oats
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted if preferred
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup whole wheat flour or garbanzo flour
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

2. Using a box grater on the largest setting, grate the beets, carrots and onion into a large bowl.

3. Stir in the remaining ingredients until mixed well. If the mix seems too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you can form patties.

4. Using your hands, shape the burgers into 8 patties. Make sure they are similar size and thickness so that they will cook evenly.

5. Place on the baking sheet and bake in the oven until they cook through, about 20 minutes. They should be slightly firm to the touch and lightly browned.

6. Serve these on a whole wheat bun or sandwich thin with spinach and tomato. Top with your favorite condiment. You can also top it on a salad.