Penne with Roasted Cauliflower, Lemon and Capers

Move over Kale, we're jumping on the Roasted Cauliflower bandwagon!!  Well... I might be a bit behind the wagon as roasted cauliflower's rage may be so yesterday, but cauliflower is one of those veggies my whole family loves and we've been eating for years.  We just haven't roasted it until this week.  And why, oh why did we wait so long??

Cauliflower is one of those cruciferous vegetables filled with health benefits and recommended as part of a healthy diet.  Linked to cancer prevention and detox support, and with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, studies suggest 2-3 servings (1 1/2 cups) of the food group, minimum, a week.

More delicate in flavor that broccoli (which is also highly recommended), cauliflower may be more popular with the kids, and may I mention here it's also fabulous dipped in hummus.  Roasting though, caramelizes the cauliflower and brings out its sweetness.

Thumbing through one of my favorite cookbooks, Good for You (Williams-Sonoma): Easy, Healthy Recipes for Every Day, this recipe jumped out the other day and we've made it 3 times since.

Super easy to put together, the roasted cauliflower marries beautifully with freshly squeezed lemon, parsley and capers.  Tossed with my favorite penne pasta, this dish works as a light dinner or a very satisfying lunch.

When family member ask for "that cauliflower dish" again, I know I  have a hit - and this one's jumped to the top of the list.

Coconut Cauliflower Curry

In our everyday attempt to fill our meals with a rainbow of colors, the vegetable shade green unfortunately often finds itself left out.  As babies, the kids gobbled their green beans or peas in a jar, but once we moved to "real" food, green somehow lost its love.

Pure and white cauliflower though has always been a favorite, and everyone down to my two little Maltese pups never turns up a nose at this cruciferous offering.

Hence, a meal including cauliflower can usually be counted on to please everyone, and this Coconut Cauliflower Curry is no exception.  With fragrant spices and our beloved coconut milk, this bowl of comfort brings not only happiness but a healthy meal to the table that also reheats leftovers beautifully.

Featuring ginger in addition garam masala, coriander and cumin, a fragrant curry flavors the simmered vegetables and creates a sauce that seeps into a bowl of brown rice and has you sopping up every last drop.