Cauliflower steaks are becoming popular. They're easy to prepare and make a great vegetarian dinner. For this easy dinner, just cut a head of cauliflower into 1-inch steaks, add a prepared pesto sauce and let the oven do the rest.
Cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes and arugula make a simple salad side dish. Fresh arugula adds a peppery finish to the salad.
Helpful hints
Any type of salad greens can be used instead of the arugula.
Great Northern beans can be used instead of cannellini beans.
Countdown
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the cauliflower and place in the oven.
While cauliflower roasts, make the salad.
Shopping list
To buy: one medium-size head of cauliflower, one container reduced-fat pesto sauce, one can reduced-sodium cannellini beans, one onion, one container cherry tomatoes, one bottle reduced-fat salad dressing, one package fresh arugula.
Staples: olive oil spray, salt and black peppercorns.
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook." Listen to Linda on www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at [email protected].
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CAULIFLOWER STEAK
Makes: 2 servings
1 medium-size head of cauliflower
Olive oil spray
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup prepared, reduced-fat pesto sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Discard outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut the head in 1-inch slices from the top of the head to the bottom stalk of the cauliflower. Save any florets that fall off or are not part of the slices for another meal or to use as crudite. Spray both sides of the steaks with olive oil spray. Line a baking sheet with foil and add the steaks. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the baking sheet with foil and place in the oven. Roast 5 minutes. Remove foil and roast until cauliflower is golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the steaks over and roast 5 minutes or until soft when tested with a knife. Remove to two dinner plates and spoon pesto sauce on top.
Per serving: 280 calories (63% from fat), 19.5 g fat (3.3 g saturated, 8.4 g monounsaturated), 10 mg cholesterol, 9.4 g protein, 14.8 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fiber, 538 mg sodium.
BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD
2 cups reduced-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons reduced-fat salad dressing
4 cups fresh arugula
Add cannellini beans, onion and tomatoes to a bowl. Toss with the salad dressing. Divide the arugula between two plates. Spoon the bean, onion and tomato mixture on top.
Per serving: 358 calories (6% from fat), 2.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated, 0.4 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 21.8 g protein, 66.1 g carbohydrates, 16.6 g fiber, 25 mg sodium.