Stop and Smell the Cauliflower

By Isabella Sorresso

You may think that cauliflower is just broccoli’s less-colorful brother, but next time it’s on your plate don’t push it to the side — eat every last bite.

Cauliflower is a part of the cruciferous vegetable family, making it closely related to broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and collard greens. This white crunchy veggie has tons of hidden benefits that you probably never knew about. According to the Food and Drug Administration and the Mayo Clinic, cauliflower is rich in potassium and is a good source of antioxidants, protein, folate and fiber. It’s also 100 percent of your daily Vitamin C intake.

The flower-like vegetable comes in a variety of colors including green, yellow and purple along with the classic white. Aside from these fun colors, you can also and another texture of cauliflower in the Romanesco cauliflower. It’s bright green and is in a “fractal form,” meaning that each floret is a mini version of the whole cauliflower head.

By combining all of the cauliflower colors and textures, you can create a vibrant and healthy vegetable salad or, chop it up small and substitute it for rice or your next pizza crust!