Roasted Cauliflower with Cashews & Curried Dip

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

February 6, 2013 • 0 comments

Get excited…. today cauliflower gets made over with a flavor explosion! Cauliflower naturally gets sweeter as it roasts and its flavors concentrate. If you’re like me, you will find yourself spooning the crunchy cashew-panko topping right into your mouth. Then there’s the dip. Well, that’s just icing on the cake, adding pops of creaminess and tartness for even more depth. After you dunk, dip the coated cauliflower into the breadcrumbs on your plate for double duty crunch.

Flaxseed meal functions as the glue between the cauliflower and topping. Don’t substitute whole flax seeds, which don’t get as sticky as needed here. A bonus of using flaxseed meal instead of whole seeds is that the body better digests the nutrients, including essential omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and lignans (a phytochemical). Whole flaxseed, on the other hand, passes through the intestine largely undigested. If you don’t have flaxseed meal on hand, substitute one large egg, beaten, with no added water.

Get your cauliflower now while it’s in peak season November through April.

Roasted Cauliflower with Cashews & Curried Dip

For the cauliflower:

1 medium head cauliflower (about 6 cups, or 600 g)

1 tablespoon (7 g) flaxseed meal

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup (40 g) raw cashews

1/2 cup (25 g) whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon (2.4 g) onion powder

1 teaspoon (2 g) curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon (15 ml) expeller-pressed canola oil

1/4 cup (15 g) chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

For the dip:

1/3 cup (75 g) olive oil mayonnaise

1 teaspoon (5 ml) lime juice

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Pinch of salt

To make the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 425˚ F (220˚ C). Line a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Cut out the core and leaves of the cauliflower head and break into large florets. Cut the larger florets into bite-size florets. In a large bowl, stir together flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water. In a food processor, whir garlic cloves and cashews. Transfer to a bowl and stir in breadcrumbs, onion powder, curry powder, salt and pepper. Drizzle in oil while stirring.

Add the cauliflower to the flaxseed slurry and toss until cauliflower is coated well. Add the cauliflower to the breadcrumb mixture and mix with hands. Spread the cauliflower evenly on the pan and bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork-tender and the topping is crunchy. Sprinkle with parsley.

To make the dip: Combine mayonnaise, lime juice, curry powder and salt.

Serve the cauliflower with the dip.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 162 calories, 10 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 285 mg sodium, 4 mg cholesterol, 16 g total carbohydrate (4 g fiber), 5 g protein, 8% DV iron, 4% DV calcium, 5% DV Vitamin A, 84% DV Vitamin C.