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Vegan cauliflower recipes are abundant,  and I’m starting to think cauliflower is the new kale.

Of course, as many of you know, I love creating vegan cauliflower recipes, and I’m embracing this new food trend with open arms.

Why?  Well, let’s start with the health benefits.

One cup of cauliflower provides a mere 25 calories, 1.9 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber.

Not only that, consuming only one cup of cauliflower provides you with 80% of your vitamin C daily nutritional needs.

This glorious vegetable is also rich in vitamin K which is essential for bone health.

Cauliflower also has a magical natural component called glucosinolates.

Study after study has shown that glucosinolates have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic disease.

It works like this. During the process of chewing, glucosinolates are broken down into active compounds which trigger a detoxification that prevents disease cell growth.

Glucosinolates have also been shown to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution in our bodies. So if you live in a smoggy city make sure you are consuming lots of cruciferous vegetables.

What more could we ask for?

There are so many, many different ways to create vegan cauliflower recipes.

Last night I was craving pasta and cauliflower, so I came up with this vegan cauliflower pasta with garlic bread crumbs and ground pine nuts.

The pine nuts do an excellent job of mimicking the saltiness and texture of parmesan cheese. If you are trying to lose weight, eating pine nuts might help.

Research showed that fatty acids derived from pine nuts lead to the release of high amounts of cholecystokinin which is an appetite suppressing hormone.

Hope you enjoy this vegan cauliflower pasta as much as we did. Sign up here so you don’t miss any of Ordinary Vegan’s free recipes.

Also, don’t miss my podcasts on nutrition in a plant-based diet. You can listen here on my website or in iTunes. Don’t forget to subscribe.

In this week’s podcast, Dr. Neal Barnard helps us break the cheese addiction. A must listen!

Vegan Cauliflower Pasta With Garlic Bread Crumbs & Ground Pine Nuts

 

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Author: Ordinary Vegan

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Head of chopped cauliflower (bite sized florets)
• 1 pound of short pasta like Farfalle
• ¼ cup to ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid
• 6 garlic cloves, in skin
• ½ cup pine nuts plus some for garnish
• 1 cup of bread crumbs (grind 3 large pieces of your favorite bread)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the chopped cauliflower on a baking pan with the six garlic cloves still in skin. Add some salt and ground black pepper. Roast approximately 30 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and caramelized.
3. Grind the pine nuts in a food processor until they have the consistency of parmesan.
4. On another baking sheet, toast the bread crumbs and some pine nuts for approximately 5 minutes or until lightly brown.
5. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to directions.
6. Drain the pasta, reserving a half cup of the cooking liquid.
7. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, chopped squeezed garlic, pine nuts, salt, ground black pepper and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Toss in the hot pasta and cauliflower and combine. Add enough pasta water to mix it all together adding a little at a time. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Garnish with roasted pine nuts and a handful of chopped parsley.

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