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Roasted Cauliflower
Four servings

This is an everyday favorite because it deliciously replaces the carbohydrate mouth-feel that many starches provide. Like potatoes, cauliflower has a mild flavor so it goes with everything from delicate fish to hearty beef. But so much better than potatoes, cauliflower is loaded with nutrition and fiber! Two cups of raw cauliflower has only 50 calories and packs 6 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, zero fat, and is a great source of vitamin C plus other vitamins and minerals.

Fresh organic cauliflower is best, of course, but frozen is the weekday winner for me. If it’s not quick and easy, I’ll end up eating empty carbs. Note: if you want to eat healthy for the rest of your life, always have a variety of frozen veggies in your freezer.

The key to good roasted cauliflower is getting the right texture without it being mushy or watery. After testing various recipes and methods I believe a two step process works best. First steam or boil till fork tender then bake to remove excess water and concentrate flavors.

A good serving size is about 2 cups raw. A 20-25oz frozen bag is equal to a large head of cauliflower. Either one will provide four servings. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for a few days or freeze up to a month.

Step one: heat oven to 350F. In a pot, boil or steam cauliflower until fork tender.
Step two: drain cauliflower well and place in 9×9 baking dish (or whatever you’ve got that’s close), season with salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: if you want a texture more like potatoes, mash with potato masher.
Step three: place in oven for 5 minutes to remove excess liquid.
Step four: remove from oven and make it your way:

• On 5&1 and in a hurry: drizzle with 1Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, season with garlic powder and toss in baking dish to evenly coat then grate 2oz hard parmesan (or other) cheese over top, sprinkle with paprika and return to oven for 10-15 minutes.

• On 5&1 not in a hurry: in a skillet over medium heat sauté minced fresh garlic with 1Tbsp olive oil until fragrant; add cauliflower and sauté 2-3 minutes. (Optional: add fresh thyme or rosemary.) Return cauliflower to baking dish, top with 2oz grated parmesan cheese and sprinkle with paprika, bake at 350 for an additional 10-15 minutes.

• Healthy cooking for life: Dr. A’s Habits of Health states that less than 25% of your daily calories should come from fat. Because cauliflower has zero fat grams to start with you’ve got some wiggle room to make it taste good and still be within your daily limits. Take advantage of your fat servings to make this dish something the whole family will want to eat on a regular basis. A little fat can go a long way. I like butter, cream and different cheeses in moderation. The rule of thumb is to never end up with a cream sauce. You should experiment on your own to see how little of each you can get away with and still get the flavors you want.

• My personal favorite, not on 5&1: follow skillet recipe above. Return to baking dish and add 1Tbsp butter and 1-2Tbsp cream. Toss all together and then grate 2-3 ounces cheese over top, sprinkle with paprika and bake 10-15 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 mins

1 Packet Cream of Broccoli Soup

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 C steamed broccoli

Place egg whites, soup and baking powder in mixing bowl and beat well. Divide steamed broccoli equally into 3 muffin cups and pour batter over the broccoli. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Counts as one MF meal, 1/4 lean and 1 green serving.

This recipe works well with either flank or skirt steak which is the cut of beef most often used in Fajitas. I really like this cut of beef because it has a robust beefy flavor with little fat and works great on the grill. Flank/skirt steak cooks best with high heat and should develop a savory crust. Also the vegetables will take on a nice grilled smoky flavor. This recipe will make approx 3-4 servings.

For the Vegetables:

1 large onion
2 large peppers any color (green peppers are lower in carbs than red/orange/yellow)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper/Seasoning

Heat grill to medium.

Slice the onion and peppers into strips and toss in a large bowl with olive oil and seasonings to coat evenly. If you don’t have a grille basket or something similar it is easier to just quarter the onion and peppers for grilling then slice afterward. Grill veggies on medium until soft.

For the Steak:

1-1.5 lbs of Flank or Skirt steak
Salt, pepper, and/or dry rub
Tiny amount of olive oil or canola oil

I used a seasoning mix that I won at a chamber of commerce raffle from Saltgrass steakhouse. It’s good, but any rub or seasonings you like will do. For best flavoring apply the seasoning(s) liberally to the steak at least one hour before grilling. Brush steak lightly with oil just before grilling. Place steak on the hot grill. Grill for 4-6 minutes on each side. Half way through grilling on each side, turn the steak 90° so that you get more grill marks. Remove from grill and let rest for at least five minutes. IMPORTANT: Skirt and Flank steaks have a very distinct grain structure. If sliced wrong the meat will be chewy and tough, sliced properly its perfect. Cut the steak in strips across the grain, not with the grain. Serve hot with onions and peppers on the side.

Lean and green Suggestion:

Make fajita wraps! Wash some romain or green leaf lettuce leaves real well and dry them. Roll up a few strips of beef, some onions and peppers plus a small amount of sharp cheddar cheese (if you like cheese). I suggest sharp because you get big cheese flavor without having to add but an ounce or less. May use a dab of sour creme. Remember, on the 5&1 plan you need two additional fat servings every day. Use them wisely and "tastefully"

Enjoy!

If I didn’t enjoy restaurants, cooking and eating as much as I do (and I really do) then maybe I would have never got fat in the first place.  But then again, who’s to say.  In retrospect I knew I was heading in that direction long before the 40 extra pounds plagued my body.  What’s crazy however is I now look back on those days when I was gaining the weight as a time of not fully appreciating food like I do these days.  Sure I lost the weight but never will I lose my passion for good food!  And if there’s anything I’ve learned on this healthy journey it is a tasty lean and green meal is key to both weight loss and weight maintenance. 

The basic guidelines for a lean and green meal while on the 5&1 is 5-7 ounces of lean meat (or protein source for vegetarians) plus a salad and/or vegetables.  Given that most meats are available in a relatively lean form, the possibilities are limitless.  Because I enjoy being in the kitchen, the lean and green meal presents a fun challenge; something akin to the TV show Top Chef.  Furthermore, what I’m looking for is maximum flavor with minimal effort.   

Below is a picture of a recent lean and green meal.  Grilled skirt steak with peppers and onions.  Check out the grill basket!  That thing is gold in my opine and cost only $5.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  It is ideal for grilling vegetables and shrimp among other things.  The recipe for this meal is in our recipe section under “beef” and also under “vegetables”.

Helpful Hint:

• Cook multiple portions of lean and green foods on the weekend so you have some ready to go during those busy week nights.

I will be systematically adding to the Lean and Green recipe section my favorite meals.  If you’ve got a favorite lean and green meal that you want to share just reply with the recipe and a photo if you can.  That would be great.  We will ALL benefit!