Tried and true tricks to get your family to eat vegetables, like these cauliflower steaks. The cilantro and hot pepper aioli is the icing on a...steak.
If only there was no ice on the streets causing slow movement and several traffic incidents, I'd have had more time to tell the sweet cashier, who reminded me of my grandma, all the ways you can use cauliflower.
She told me that in the sixty years she's been married to her husband he refused to eat any vegetables but canned green beans. Can you imagine?
Introducing new vegetables to your family can be tricky sometimes. For the longest time, my daughter was disgusted by cauliflower because "it looks like brains".
I shared my tried and true tricks with the cashier who, even after sixty years, never gave up trying:
#1 Hide it in other food
This is an old and favorite trick. Add finely chopped vegetables to stews, lasagna, or even pasta meat sauce. I have hidden cauliflower in mac & cheese and on pork chops covered with cheese before. My picky granddaughters never knew what hit them, ha!
Tip: Do not reveal your secrets or they will never trust you again. To get my cabbage-hating husband to eat it, I hid a whole head in a sneaky casserole. He loved it!
#2 Rename it
Give the dish a different name. Cauliflower steaks sound so much better than just plain cauliflower.
Another example is above mentioned sneaky casserole. Of course, I didn't tell my husband I was serving cabbage and polenta casserole. No way would he have even tried it.
#3 Change the way you serve it
If you only ever serve steamed vegetables try roasting them in the oven instead. Serve with a sauce, like an aioli, your family already loves! Changing the way you cut the vegetables helps too. I usually roast cauliflower separated in florets.
By slicing it through I created "steaks" and a new recipe that everyone loved. The cilantro and hot pepper aioli was the icing on a...steak.
Ingredients:
- cauliflower
- olive oil
- smoked salt
- Turmeric
- Cumin
Cilantro and hot pepper aioli
- mayonnaise
- ketchup
- white wine vinegar
- garlic
- cilantro
- jalapeno peppers
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the leaves and trim the stem end of the cauliflower. With a large knife, slice the cauliflower lengthwise into ¾-inch thick "steaks", keeping as much intact as possible.
- Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, turmeric, and cumin on both sides.
- Roast with remaining florets until golden brown, about 20 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Serve topped with aioli.
Cilantro and hot pepper aioli
- In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and vinegar.
- Add garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers. Season with salt to taste.
Do you have people like my daughter and cashier's husband in your house? How do you get them to eat vegetables?
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Cauliflower Steaks with Cilantro and Hot Pepper Aioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon Smoked salt my newest addiction, but you can substitute with sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground Turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
Cilantro and hot pepper aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic crushed in a mortar or with a side of a knife
- 1 bunch finely chopped cilantro
- 2 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno peppers
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the leaves and trim the stem end of the cauliflower. With a large knife, slice the cauliflower lengthwise into ¾-inch thick "steaks", keeping as much intact as possible.
- Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, turmeric, and cumin on both sides.
- Roast with remaining florets until golden brown, about 20 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve topped with aioli.
Cilantro and hot pepper aioli
- In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and vinegar. Add garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers. Season with salt to taste.
Marilyn Lesniak says
Thank you so much for linking at #overthemoon! I look forward to seeing what you share every week. Please come back for #WonderfulWednesday or #ThursdayFavoriteThings. Enjoy your week ahead.
Jas says
Thank you for hosting each week! Love partying with you ladies! 🙂
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
It's makin' my mouth water!! Looks so good! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner Link up -
Jas says
Thank you, Helen!
Cathy says
I love cauliflower, but admit to being in a rut with just roasting it with olive oil and salt and pepper. This recipe looks delicious! pinning!
Jas says
That's tasty! I like to switch it up from time to time. 🙂