Recipes like this makes eating your vegetables exciting

  • By Ellie Krieger Special to The Washington Post
  • Tuesday, January 5, 2016 12:04pm
  • Life

If you’re going to do one thing to get on a healthy track for 2016, it should be: Eat more vegetables.

Happily, that resolution can be an exciting invitation rather than a boring chore, thanks to recipes like this one.

Here, cauliflower is turned into a luxuriously creamy puree with the help of a splash of milk, a smidge of butter and a whir in the food processor.

I used low-fat milk, but you could use unsweetened almond milk or another nut milk if you prefer.

You can also get a tasty result mashing it with a hand masher, but for the smooth, whipped texture that makes this recipe really luscious, the processor makes all the difference.

The puree is flavored simply, but deeply, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of nutmeg, which amplifies the cheese flavor and brings out its nutty undertones.

It is showered at the end with fresh parsley and black pepper for a dish that will make you doubly glad you are eating your vegetables, because they can both taste this good and be good for you.

Parmesan Cauliflower Puree

4 servings (makes about 3 cups)

1 medium head (2 pounds) cauliflower, cored and cut into 1 ½-inch florets (7 cups)

1/3 cup low-fat milk (1 percent), plus more as needed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 4 teaspoons for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket set over a pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until the cauliflower is just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor along with 1/3 cup of the milk, the butter, the ¼ teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg; puree until very smooth. You will need to stop the processor once or twice to scrape the sides with a spatula. Add extra milk a tablespoon at a time, as needed. Immediately add ¼ cup of the cheese and pulse just until the cheese has melted and is incorporated.

(If you’ve allowed the puree to cool, transfer it to a medium saucepan over low heat, then add the ¼ cup of cheese, stirring until it has melted.)

Transfer the puree to a serving bowl. Taste, and season with more salt, as needed. Garnish with the remaining 4 teaspoons of cheese, plus sprinklings of parsley and pepper. Serve warm.

Per serving: 120 calories, 7 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

A giant Bigfoot creation made by Terry Carrigan, 60, at his home-based Skywater Studios on Sunday, April 14, 2024 in Monroe, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The 1,500-pound Sasquatch: Bigfoot comes to life in woods near Monroe

A possibly larger-than-life sculpture, created by Terry Carrigan of Skywater Studios, will be featured at this weekend’s “Oddmall” expo.

Lewis the cat weaves his way through a row of participants during Kitten Yoga at the Everett Animal Shelter on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Downward cat? At kitten yoga in Everett, it’s all paw-sitive vibes

It wasn’t a stretch for furry felines to distract participants. Some cats left with new families — including a reporter.

The Ford Maverick has seating for five passengers. Its cargo bed is 4.5 feet long. (Photo provided by Ford)
2024 Ford Maverick compact pickup undergoes a switch

The previous standard engine is now optional. The previous optional engine is now standard.

Lily Gladstone poses at the premiere of the Hulu miniseries "Under the Bridge" at the DGA Theatre, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Mountlake Terrace’s Lily Gladstone plays cop in Hulu’s ‘Under the Bridge’

The true-crime drama started streaming Wednesday. It’s Gladstone’s first part since her star turn in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Dalton Dover performs during the 2023 CMA Fest on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Spotify House in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

The Red Hot Chili Pipers come to Edmonds, and country artist Dalton Dover performs Friday as part of the Everett Stampede.

2024 Genesis G70 Sport Prestige RWD (Photo provided by Genesis)
Genesis Unveils 2024 G70 Sports Prestige Sedan

Combining power, luxury, and innovation, Genesis raises the bar yet again with enhanced performance and cutting-edge features in its latest model.

wisteria flower in Japan
Give your garden a whole new dimension with climbing plants

From clematis and jasmine to wisteria and honeysuckle, let any of these vine varieties creep into your heart – and garden.

Lynnwood
New Jersey company acquires Lynnwood Land Rover dealership

Land Rover Seattle, now Land Rover Lynnwood, has been purchased by Holman, a 100-year-old company.

Great Plant Pick: Dark Beauty Epimedium

What: New foliage on epimedium grandiflorum Dark Beauty, also known as Fairy… Continue reading

While not an Alberto, Diego or Bruno, this table is in a ‘Giacometti style’

Works by the Giacometti brothers are both valuable and influential. Other artists’ work is often said to be in their style.

Suomenlinna
Soul sisters Helsinki and Tallinn are pearls of the Baltic

While they have their own stories to tell, these cities share a common heritage of Swedish and Russian influences.

My trip to Iraq was canceled, so why can’t I get my $7,590 back?

When Diane Gottlieb’s tour of Iraq is canceled, the tour operator offers her a voucher for a future trip. But she wants a refund.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.