Photo by Caitlin Covington
Our healthy cooking series is coming to an end (we hope you’ve enjoyed it!) but before we wrap things up, we wanted to share a couple slightly intimidating veggies that are in season right now. Enter: cauliflower and leaks. Both are the scarier relatives of mainstream American favorites (broccoli and onions) and both have some serious health benefits.
Cauliflower offers cancer-fighting gluccosinolates (the same compounds that make it taste bitter) and leeks may help boost the immune system. Both can be cooked almost any way, including roasting or steaming— both healthier than boiling, which leaches nutrients from the veggies into the water. They also work well together, with the subtle onion flavor of the leeks toning down the bitterness of the cauliflower.
The Takeaway: Both cauliflower and leeks offer cancer-fighting skills and plenty of nutrients, plus they’re both in season. Try them together for a healthy one-two punch.
Cauliflower-Leek Puree
This dish combines these two in a duo that’s better than Batman and Robin. You won’t even miss mashed potatoes.
Fun Fact:
Cauliflower is white because its leaves protect it from the sun as it grows. The lack of sunlight prevents chlorophyll from developing.
