Crumb Topped Roasted Cauliflower & Carrots

 

This recipe is one that I adapted from a recipe I discovered on a page called Wellness by Kay.  I am trying to get more of my five a day into me and eat more fruits and vegetables. I am also trying to eat a bit healthier, and a more plant based diet.

I had some Vegan fish nuggets.  I think they were made with Jack Fruit.  I was tempted to turn them into tacos but at the end of the day I decided to have them just as is and enjoy some vegetables on the side.  

 

This recipe really appealed to me.  For one thing it used two of my favorite vegetables. I loved also that it seemed quite healthy and did not involve the use of any heavy or butter based sauces, etc.  There is cheese, but very little of it and in the form of Parmesan which is a cheese that really gives you a lot of bang for it’s buck.

That is, you don’t need to use a lot of it to be able to add flavor to your dish. If you wish you could use nutritional yeast instead of the Parmesan cheese and still have somewhat of a cheesy flavor and keep the dish totally vegan.

Cauliflower is a real nutritional powerhouse! Low in calories and carbs, it is packed with plenty of vitamins and  minerals as well as plenty of fiber!   Its good for your gut as well as being full of anti-oxidents!

 

Very simple ingredients and not a lot of them.  I love dishes like this! Simple ingredients put together in the simplest and most delicious way!

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, trimmed and broken into florets
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 TBS avocado or olive oil, divided
• 1/3 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/3 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup (15g) buttery cracker crumbs
• olive oil spray

 

 My cauliflower was of a medium size. I guess it was about six inches across and yielded about 2 cups of florets.  The original recipe called for the cauliflower to be chopped but I kept the pieces bite sized.

My carrots were large, about 2 inches across at the top and about 7 inches long.  I peeled, topped and tailed and then cut into coins crosswise about 1/3 of an inch in width. Not so thin that they would overcook, nor so thick that they would not cook enough if that makes sense.

 

Make sure you use onion and garlic powders and not salts.  You could add other herbs if you wished. I think thyme would be very nice.

I used club buttery crackers, but you could use Ritz or TUC also. I put about 5 of them into a small baggie and rolled over the bag with a heavy tin can to create a mix of coarse and fine crumbs. The original recipe called for Panko which I did not have. The crumbs could be enhanced by mixing them with  a touch of melted butter. I did not do this, but I have done so in the past.  

If possible grate your own Parmesan cheese.  I think hand grated cheese always tastes a lot better. Not a fan of Parmesan?  Use Cheddar which would also be excellent!

 

 

 

This was an incredibly easy and delicious way to prepare cauliflower and carrots.  I could have easily eaten the whole thing as a main course.  But that’s me!

The vegetables were perfectly crispy tender.  Nothing worse than soggy vegetables, these were just right. I loved the crumb topping.  It added plenty of interest and flavor as well!  This would be excellent served along side of anything and was quite healthy as well! High in fiber and low in fat without there being any kind of cream sauce, etc.

If you love vegetables as much as I do, you might also be interested in these other delicious side dishes!

CREAMED CABBAGE – This is one of my favorite sides. I could eat a whole plate of this and nothing else.  What you have here is perfectly cooked cabbage, in a rich and creamy sauce, baked to perfection, topped with golden crumbs.  If you enjoy cabbage, you will really enjoy this one!

OVEN ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH - Roasting is one of my favorite ways to cook butternut squash. I love roasting vegetables.  It seems to bring out and enhance their natural sweetness. Usually when a vegetable has been roasted there is no need to add anything else into the mix. Their natural flavors shine! Such it is with this. Its a simple thing, but so incredibly tasty!

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