It’s October, and cauliflower is in-season here in the northeast. This is one vegetable even my kids love to eat, so I’m happily making as often as I can.
Cauliflower, of course, is extremely healthy in its own right. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, are loaded with nutrients and phytochemicals that have cancer preventative properties. The turmeric and black pepper combination coating, though, is what makes this side dish so anti-inflammatory. Curcumin, the potent compound found in turmeric that gives it its medicinal properties, has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticancer properties. It does, however, have very low bioavailability, which means it’s not easily absorbed by the body. When combined with black pepper, more specifically the compound piperine found in black pepper, absorption of curcumin enhances by as much as 2000%.
Here is how I make my favorite oven roasted cauliflower.
Anti-Inflammatory Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
- 1 med/large head cauliflower, cut/broken apart into bite-sized florets, washed and dried
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut/break apart the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Rinse them well and allow to dry on a dish towel or paper towels on the counter. Pat them dry if needed.
- Place all florets on a baking sheet, then drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over them. I rub the oil into the florets, making sure they are all coated well, but this is not needed.
- Sprinkle the turmeric, black pepper, garlic powder and sea salt over top of the florets, coating them evenly.
- Place in the oven and allow to cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until the florets are golden with a little caramelization on top and pierce easily with a fork.
I’ll also sometimes add a little fresh lemon juice over top once it comes out of the oven. So delicious. Enjoy!