Grilled Turmeric Cauliflower
I think it’s okay to eat the same general rotation of foods. We all have a few go-to dishes that we love and get good at making without a lot of extra thought.
But I also think that it’s a good thing to branch out every once and a while and explore new things, or even the same things in different ways.
Enter this grilled turmeric cauliflower.
I was sort of in a grilling rut. Then I saw my friend Michelle post a picture of her grilled veggie spread. It was beautiful, as always, but what caught my eye was the grilled cauliflower. I felt a strange combination of joy and disappointment.
Joy–> YES I can’t wait to grill cauliflower myself.
Disappointment–> WHY have I not been grilling cauliflower all of my life?
This summer I resolved that issue though. And ironically this grilled turmeric cauliflower has slowly but surely slipped into my “I make this too often” category.
It’s ok though because it’s fun and colorful and loved by everyone in my family. And it just so happens to be an all-star in the nutrition department.
Cauliflower is healthy on its own, we know that for sure. (here’s an impressive list of health benefits in case you’re in the mood for learning).
But when you coat cauliflower in turmericy coconut oil, you’re basically crossing into the healthy-food-over-achiever category.
That’s an ok place to be, I think.
Turmeric is a boss at reducing inflammation, and it’s my favorite food-as-medicine ingredient. I try to eat it as much as possible (I even take these pills sometimes for an extra dose when I can’t squeeze it in).
Studies have revealed that turmeric is as effective or more than 14 prescription and OTC medications (including Lipitor, Prozac, and Ibuprofen).
It’s also been shown to delay liver damage, inhibit cancer, reduce the occurrence of Alzheimerโs, and relieve symptoms of arthritis (check out this blog post if you need even more reasons to eat more turmeric).
But guys, I kid you not, we’re about to make this grilled turmeric cauliflower even healthier by dunking it into a delicious, creamy sauce (is this real life, you may be asking?).
It is.
This creamy yogurt sauce is full of black pepper–which not only adds a punchy peppery bite–it also AMPLIFIES the health benefits of the turmeric.
Black pepper boosts the bioavailability of curcumin (the active compound in turmeric) up to 2000%.
I’m not great at math, but that’s a lot.
Basically, our bodies can use the powerful compounds in turmeric much more efficiently if eaten with black pepper. So I say give nature what it wants and dunk that cauliflower.
Go on, go for it.
Grilled Turmeric Cauliflower
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
- one large head of cauliflower
- about 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tbs ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
For the black pepper yogurt sauce
- 1 cup yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp honey
- juice of 1/2 a lime
- lots of cracked black pepper
For serving
- Lime wedges
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
For the cauliflower
- Cut cauliflower into large florets.
- In a mixing bowl, combine oil, turmeric, and salt. Toss the cauliflower to coat with oil.
- Skewer cauliflower florets and grill on medium-low heat with lid on for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove when cauliflower is tender.
For the black pepper yogurt sauce
- Combine all ingredients and serve with cauliflower.
One response to “Grilled Turmeric Cauliflower”
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I love your food and your picture, delicious and nice. I love food