Here we are, in the first week of the new year and I resolve to … If you want to be healthier, let’s make it easy to get started with a couple of recipes to help you stay between the ditches.

Now I’m not saying we’ll have no butter, sugar or marbled meats in 2024 here at the cove. We’ll have a good mix of everything as always, as we wend our way through another year.

However, I could eat this embellished cauliflower at least once a week. It’s amazing how delicious it is and how you’ll feel a real burst of self-righteousness – it’s that healthy. I enjoy it as an entree, but it would make for an admirable side dish with a bronzed roast chicken if you want to be ultra fancy.

Now please tell me you all have little squares of pesto in your freezer that you painstakingly made this summer when basil was abundant and lively. No? Oh dear. Well, if you can’t find basil right now, no worries. Use one of the other greens suggested in the recipe and brighten them up with a small addition of cilantro, mint or parsley.

Don’t want to purchase pricey pine nuts? Use what you have in the cupboard. And if you need a nut-free recipe, simply use seeds of some sort.

Both the tangy garlic yogurt sauce and the pesto are good with so many foods, so measure up and make extra.

This green goddess recipe gives you something to do with any leftover pesto. I enjoy this breadless sandwich often and know exactly how to layer the fillings so I don’t make too much of a mess when I bite into it.

You can also roll or wrap it, depending on the size and flexibility of the romaine or Swiss chard.

Now, go stock up on those veggies.

Roasted cauliflower with pesto and garlic yogurt sauce

1 medium cauliflower, thick outer leaves removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon flaky salt

Fill a large pot with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower upside down in the pot, cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Check for doneness by poking the stem with a paring knife. Remove the cauliflower and place in a colander to dry for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover cauliflower with olive oil and season with flaky salt. Roast for 45 minutes or until charred and golden all over on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

When serving, spoon garlic yogurt sauce onto a serving plate and place the whole cauliflower on top. Generously spread pesto over the cauliflower, then cut into wedges.

Yield: 4 servings

Pesto from scratch

2 cups fresh basil leaves, spinach, kale or arugula

1/3 cup pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds or (cooked, cooled) edamame

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or any hard Italian cheese

3 small cloves garlic, roasted or fresh

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pulse greens, nuts, cheese and garlic together in a food processor. Scrape down the sides, then add oil, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until everything is blended and relatively smooth. Add a drizzle of more olive oil to thin out, if needed. Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

Yield: 1 cup

Garlic yogurt sauce

4 heaping tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

1 clove garlic

Juice of 1/4 lemon

2 tablespoons tahini

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Yield: 1/3 cup

The green goddess

2 large Romaine lettuce leaves or Swiss chard

1-2 tablespoons pesto

3 roast turkey or roast chicken slices

1 slice American or cheddar cheese, cut into thirds

1/2 avocado, smashed

3 tomato slices

1 small cucumber, sliced

2 tablespoons grated carrot

2 tablespoons sprouts or pea shoots

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cut any tough ribs out of the center of the romaine or Swiss chard, leaving the leaf intact at the top and bottom. Place on a serving plate and paint each leaf liberally with pesto. Layer remaining ingredients onto one leaf and season. Top with remaining leaf. Cut in half. Have a napkin handy or eat with a knife and fork.

Yield: 1 serving

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.

« Previous

Arts Calendar: Jan. 5-12

Next »

Letter: Decision about Trump on ballot raising wrong questions