Meatless Monday: Sautéed cauliflower with olives and orange zest

Got the main dish ready for your Meatless Monday meal? Partner it up with a side dish that pairs well with just about anything. Sautéed cauliflower with olives and orange zest adds a dash of sunshine (and vitamin C) to your mealtime.

A side dish like sunshine

A little sunshine for your plate

It's still winter, so a tasty recipe that brings a dose of vitamin C with it? Well, that's just a bonus! Cauliflower is a versatile veggie that even comes in a bunch of colors. Along with the familiar white, you can find cauliflower in green, purple and orange.

Are you sick of those lingering winter colds? You might be able to eat your way to better health! Low in calories and high in fiber, cauliflower is a great source of vitamin C (one serving has 40 percent of your daily dose). It's loaded with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Sounds good, right?

It's good (and easy) to eat meat-free meals

Eliminating meat from your diet even one day a week can help keep your weight down, fight diseases, reduce pollution and even help you avoid the risk of food-borne illnesses. Cutting back on meat is good for the environment, too. Something to think about: Anywhere from 1,800-2,500 gallons of water go into producing a pound of beef vs. 220 gallons of water for a pound of tofu. Learn more about going meatless on Mondays.

If you think you're at a loss for what to serve as part of a meatless meal plan, think again -- your options are limitless! Sautéed cauliflower with olives and orange zest is a great side dish recipe that you can serve just about any time of year.

Sautéed cauliflower recipe with olives and orange zest

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup halved and pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• Juice from one lemon
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Use a large sauté pan and add to it, two tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the cauliflower and sauté for about five minutes.
3. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for one minute, and then add the pine nuts and continue to sauté the mixture until the nuts turn lightly golden.
4. Add the olives to the pan along with the orange zest. Add the soy sauce and lemon juice, and mix everything well.
5. Sprinkle the parsley and cilantro to the pan and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the mixture.

Cauliflower is a versatile and nutritious veggie (just look at the colors you can choose from). Give it a try!

More Meatless Monday meals to try

Meatless Monday Mediterranean style
For the love of lentils
Don't be troubled by tofu