Do you recognize the words ferten, ferortan and farten? You do? Did you know they are all based on the Old High German word ferzan? Are you perhaps a fan of the newest diet food rage —Cauliflower? There is cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower meatballs, air-fryer cauliflower, etc. My vegan daughter thinks this is the greatest. I think cauliflower tastes like shoe soles.
Cauliflower has been around since the 12th century. It was initially documented in Cyprus in the Mediterranean area. From there, explorers took it everywhere. It is believed that cauliflower originated as a broccoli hybrid. Its buddies in the Cruciferous vegetable family include rutabaga, bok choy, cabbage, kale and turnips.
The positive of cauliflower rice is it has only 25 calories per cup. A cup of white rice has 210 calories. However, the major drawback is that cauliflowers and their buddies contain chemicals called glucosinolates. As mouthfuls meander from your tastebuds to your stomach, they transform into various compounds, including hydrogen sulfide. The body likes to share this, ferten, ferortan and farten. Suppose you don’t want to share. Then you eat Beano. You must eat this before your very first bite of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, etc. Beano breaks down the ferzan remnants so they don’t fumigate. Delay…doom.
But suppose you really like to replace rice with Cauliflower. You cut your purchase into florets, i.e. pieces. Let dry. Grate until it looks like rice. Add assorted spices, soy sauce, parmesan cheese, etc. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Spread out your ingredients. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice until golden hued. Share.
According to my limited research, cauliflower has oodles of vitamin C, which is good for gum health and skin healing. It is not the easiest veggie to grow from seed, but might be worth a try. There are several books of Cauliflower recipes. The word Cauliflower means “cabbage flower” because it is a flower that has not fully developed.
