Cauliflower, Olive, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

I love any kind of salads where the dressing soaks into the vegetables.  The green olives make this simple salad delicious.  Pair this with grained, rustic bread and some cheese and it is a great lunch.

Cauliflower, Olive, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

1 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil

1/3 C pitted green olives

¼ C fresh parsley leaves

2 T cider vinegar

1T olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled

6 C cauliflower florets

¼ C finely chopped red onion

½ t salt

¼ t pepper

Combine boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand for 30 minutes or until soft.  Drain and chop.  Combine tomatoes and olives, and next 4 ingredients (olives through garlic) in a food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of the bowl.

Cook cauliflower in boiling water for 2 minutes (you can also roast the cauliflower in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes – or until it gets golden brown.  Don’t forget to sprinkle with olive oil and rosemary before you place it in the oven.)  Drain and rise under cold water.  Combine tomato mixture, cauliflower, onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Toss well.  The longer this sits the better.

Cooking Light 2009

Cauliflower, a member of the cruciferous family but lacks the green chlorophyll found in other vegetables of this class (broccoli, cabbage, and kale), because the florets are shielded from the sun by the plant's leaves during growth. Cauliflower is not pale in terms of nutrition either. Its nutrients help strengthen the immune system and protect against the development of cancer. It's an excellent source of folate and vitamin C. Just three raw florets provide 67 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C. That's more than some citrus fruits.  Cauliflower may help decrease cholesterol, particularly LDL, or bad cholesterol in two ways. First, it is an excellent source of dietary fiber, providing about 3.5 grams, or greater than 13 percent of the DV, in 1 cup, cooked. Second the folate helps to lower the amount of circulating homocysteine, an amino acid linked to cardiovascular disease, in the bloodstream.  So enjoy this beautiful vegetable, not only does it taste great but it is so good for you.

Eat Well, Lose Weight, Be Healthy

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