Crispy Roasted Cauliflower and Baked Chicken

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I am sure it has not gone unnoticed that I have been missing in action over the past few weeks. After spending the past year making two or three new recipes per week, I found myself in need of a break. The good news is, I took a break and now I am back. The other news is that entering this new year, I have made an executive decision to cook and post recipes only when I am moved to do so. I figure after a year of diligence, I deserve the luxury of preparing new recipes and writing about them as the mood strikes. I believe this will add a whole new element of fun to an already fulfilling project.

You will also see a change in the type of recipes I am preparing; at least for a while. As you can imagine, a cooking project like mine does nothing for the waistline. So, for the next 13 weeks, I will be featuring recipes that sway toward the healthy, less calorically loaded side. I devoted a good portion of last year to preparing healthy recipes but let's not forget the recipes that depended on butter and bacon to take their tastiness over the top. Much to my chagrin, I will be avoiding these recipes like the plague; bacon and all. Not to worry though. I'm sure these recipes will return to my repertoire in moderation come late spring. With this being said, the two recipes I chose for tonight are Crispy Roasted Cauliflower and Baked Chicken. I, of course, won't be eating the chicken but I will provide Brad and Olivia's feedback. I have put myself in charge of cauliflower feedback and I am looking forward to it.

Crispy Roasted Cauliflower-

Ingredients:

1/2 head cauliflower florets

1 Tbsp olive oil

coarse salt

red chili flakes

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle cauliflower with olive oil. Season with coarse salt. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with red chile flakes. Serves 2.

Healthy Baked Chicken-

Ingredients:

2 boneless or bone-in chicken breasts, skinned

2 thin slices of butter

onion flakes

garlic salt

parsley

paprika (optional)

Place chicken breasts in baking pan. Place a thin slice of butter (I used very thin slices as to stick with my plan) on each piece of chicken. Sprinkle with onion flakes, garlic salt, parsley and paprika (if desired).

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Serves 2.

I will first address the cauliflower. I should preface my reaction by saying that I can't remember the last time I purchased and prepared cauliflower. Maybe 10 years ago. What a shame! Cauliflower is quite tasty, especially prepared in this manner. The minimal use of olive oil kept the cauliflower flavor clean while helping it crisp up in the oven. I also liked the addition of red chili flakes. I used just enough to add a bit of spiciness without overpowering the dish. Brad gave the cauliflower two thumbs up and Olivia gave the "flower part, not the stem part" two thumbs up.

The chicken also went over well with both Brad and Olivia. Without becoming overly verbose, I will just say that they both really liked the flavor and texture. I will also state for the record that this dish was easy and quick to prepare. Finally, I roasted a handful of cherry tomatoes to add color to the plate but they ended up being delicious, not just pretty. I am learning that I can't really go wrong with roasted vegetables of any type. Just throw them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and bake for 25 to 40 minutes. Delicious!

Recipe Sources:

Crispy Roasted Cauliflower- Whole Living Magazine, January/February 2012

Baked Chicken- cooks.com