Are you ready to learn how to dehydrate cauliflower? Well, you're at the right place.
Dehydrating cauliflower when it's in season enables you to make delicious Cauliflower Soup and Cauliflower Mash. Scroll down to the page bottom where you'll find clickable photos for both recipes!
Add millet and quinoa to the cauliflower mash for a significant source of protein. Kids really like this cauliflower mash, as it compares favorably to 'mashed potatoes'.
Cauliflower florets add a great crunch to add texture to summer salads too!
Cauliflower is a good source of vitamins A and C, and Choline, followed by Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, Niacin, Riboflavin, with trace amounts of vitamin E, and vitamin K.
In the mineral department, cauliflower is rich in Potassium, followed by Phosphorus, Calcium, and Magnesium.
There are trace amounts of Selenium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and Fluoride. Cauliflower contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
In the photo above, the dehydrated cauliflower looks rather brown, but don't
worry about that as it turns back to white when it's re-hydrated! Honest :-)
Let the cauliflower thaw out (in its bag, unopened) in your kitchen sink in a bowl of tepid water if you're short on time, otherwise let the cauliflower bag thaw out for around an hour in your kitchen sink, unopened, then chop and put on the trays.
If thawing the frozen cauliflower by the water-in-the-bowl method, keep changing out the tepid water in the bowl until the cauliflower has thawed sufficiently for you to be able to cut (feel the pieces while they're still in the bag until they're soft enough).
This
will probably take about 10 minutes. Keep on reading below for how to dehydrate cauliflower.
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Drat! Looks like my fave knife is unavailable right now... so here's another chef's knife with a full tang (that means the handle and blade "are one" so they can't come apart when we're slicin' and a dicin').
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NOTE:
You will have to slice the larger cauliflower pieces
in half so
that the cauliflower will fit
better between the food dehydrator trays.
NOTE:
You will have to slice the
larger cauliflower pieces
in half so
that the cauliflower
will fit better between the
food dehydrator trays.
Are you ready to get busy dehydrating cauliflower? Here's how:
If using frozen cauliflower, ignore steps 1 and 2.
Bonnie Plants has some cool tips and advice on growing cauliflower, which is a cool season crop.
Click the images to be taken to their recipes, or click these links: Cauliflower Soup and Cauliflower Mash.
If you're looking to add some color to your garden, consider growing cauliflower. This striking vegetable comes in a variety of colors, including white, green, purple, and even orange.
When it comes to growing cauliflower, you'll want to make sure you have the right conditions. This vegetable prefers cool weather and needs full sun. It also requires well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
When planting, start your seeds indoors about four weeks before the last spring frost. Once it's time to transplant the seedlings outdoors, make sure to space them 18 inches apart in rows that are 3 feet apart.
Water your cauliflower regularly, especially during dry periods. Be sure to add a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain moisture.
You'll know when your cauliflower is ready to harvest when the heads are fully formed and tight. To harvest, cut the entire plant at the base with a sharp knife.
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed cooked or raw. Add it to salads, soups, and stews, or roast it in the oven for a delicious side dish.
The color of the vegetable is determined by the presence of certain pigments in the plant.
For example, anthocyanins are responsible for the blue and purple coloration in cauliflower. These pigments are also found in other blue and purple fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries and eggplant.
Carotenoids are responsible for the orange coloration in cauliflower. These pigments are also found in other orange fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.
The white color of cauliflower is due to the absence of these pigments.
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I truly hope you enjoyed learning how to dehydrate cauliflower!
Susan Gast began Easy Food Dehydrating in December 2010. Read Susan's story of what sparked her interest in all things related to "food dehydrating."
She is featured on Mother Earth News blog, and on Solo Build It (SBI) who host this site. Read her first SBI interview, and her second SBI interview.
Since 1980, Susan's involvement in publishing - in one form or another - led her to create a "review site" of products related to the publishing industry. Visit ePubTechReviews today, also hosted by Solo Build It. Susan also runs her namesake site SusanGast.com on Solo Build It that showcases the books she has written since 2010.
Do you want to send Susan a quick message? Visit her contact page here. She'd love to hear from you!