Roasted Cauliflower with Fennel and Smoked Paprika

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Roasted Cauliflower with Fennel and Smoked Paprika

And don’t skip the SMOKED paprika. This spice brings a unique deep, smoky aroma and taste to everything it touches. I think it’s an incredibly versatile ingredient to have in your pantry. Sprinkle on barbecued or baked chicken, fish, pork, potatoes and rice. Sprinkle on deviled eggs and spiced nuts. Use it to add depth to paella, arroz con pollo, sautéed greens, beans, and vegetarian soups and stews. Here is a rub recipe that I often use that contains Smoked Paprika.

  • 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds, grind fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle or use ground fennel seed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ -1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  3. In a small bowl, mix ground fennel, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower with the olive oil. Use clean hands to coat the cauliflower with the oil.
  5. Wash your hands to remove the oil and then sprinkle the cauliflower with the spice mix and use a rubber spatula or spoon to stir and coat the cauliflower.
  6. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
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Breakfast Quesadillas

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Sunday morning and day 5 of Covid-19 self shelter-in-place. Luckily I had some items in the pantry and the refrigerator so I was able to create a delicious brunch.

These quesadillas are packed with protein from the eggs and beans. I make them with whole-grain tortillas for some nutritional bonus points and add enough cheese to make sure they’re both enticing and delicious. Use the cheese as your first and last layer to “anchor” the ingredients to the tortillas.

Breakfast Quesadillas for 2

4 Mission Organic Whole Wheat Tortillas (These are my favorites but any tortilla would work)

3 whole eggs and 3 whites, yolks discarded

Reduced Fat Cheddar or Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese (You could also add crumbled feta or goat cheese)

½ a can of drained black beans warmed

Olive Oil

Optional fillings: sautéed bell pepper, chopped cilantro, onion and jalapeño

Optional toppings: salsa, reduced fat sour cream, avocado chunks

  1. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add oil to the pan and scramble the eggs as you typically would. Remove the eggs to a plate.
  2. Wipe out the skillet and then wipe the pan with olive oil. Put one tortilla in the pan then sprinkle the tortilla with some cheese. Cover the cheese evenly with the half the eggs and half the beans and some more cheese over the fillings, and then top with another tortilla.
  3. Let the quesadilla cook until golden and crispy on the bottom, about 2 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning the tortilla.
  4. Brush the top with a light coating of oil, then flip it and cook until the second side is golden and crispy.
  5. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board. Let it cool for a minute to give the cheese time to set, then slice it into 4 pieces. Serve promptly, with any toppings that you’d like.
  6. Repeat for your second quesadilla.
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Shanghai Pork and Cabbage

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Typically this recipe is made with white noodles. I have omitted the noodles and increased the amount of cabbage. The flavor remains and the nutrient value is improved.

Shanghai Pork and Cabbage

Servings: 4 servings

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

3 Tbsp. cup oyster sauce

4 tsp. sugar

1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced

1 lb. pork tenderloin, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons avocado oil. This is a good oil for high heat cooking. Some oils like vegetable and peanut oil oxidize at high heat (oxidation = free radicals/carcinogenic).

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces and then julienned lengthwise

1 head Napa or regular cabbage, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 cup chicken stock

1 tsp sesame oil

Ground black or white pepper to taste

Make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and ginger, Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reserve ¼ cup marinade and place the pork in the remaining marinade and let sit for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet on high heat and fry the pork for one or two minutes or until done. Remove the pork and set aside.

Next fry the cabbage, green onions and garlic for until about half the doneness that you like.

Return the pork to the pan along with the reserved marinade, the sesame oil, chicken/cornstarch mixture and stir until combined. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened. Add pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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