It’s easy to fall into a ‘catastrophe’ mindset because the world is really challenging right now, more so than ever. There are so many ways to fuel our fears, so many news sources filled with unthinkable stories. Being empathetic is essential for our collective humanity. So how do we learn about another mass shooting or a new mutation of a virus and not fall into the over-production of cortisol, which triggers our ‘fight or flight’ response that has everyone trying to move to Canada? I don’t have the answer. For now, I just try to breathe, remind myself with gratitude that I’m still alive and healthy, and do whatever I can to keep calm and cauliflower on with this delicious recipe, which goes great with with Wild Rice and salty Pistachios.
Ingredients:
One bunch of cauliflower, sliced in segments
2 Tbsps Avocado Oil
2 Tbsps Maple syrup (or honey)
Curry powder to taste (1/2 tsp.) You can also add salt & pepper or ginger
Sesame seeds or hemp hearts and Pistachios (enough to sprinkle on generously)
1 cup of rice (wild rice, basmati rice or any rice or grain that you love)
Instructions:
Preheat over to 425 to roast Cauliflower
In a separate pot (or insta-pot) cook the rice
Slice cauliflower and lay it on parchment paper on a baking sheet
Brush on the mixture of avocado oil, honey/maple syrup, and curry powder
Bake for 15-20 minutes, flip over, brush on the mixture and bake until ends are golden brown
Turn off oven. Let the cauliflower cool down slightly.
Brush the rest of the oil/maple syrup mixture on top. Let it caramelize in the oven for a few minutes while it’s still cooling.
Serve over warm rice and sprinkle with hemp hearts, sesame seeds, and pistachio nuts.
For added sweetness, sprinkle chopped dates and/or apricots over mixture
For the special sauce, use Upbeat Nut Butter Sauce
2 tablespoons of any nut butter (almond butter, tahini, etc.)
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce or Bragg’s Amino Acids
1 tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup
1/4 cup of leftover quinoa or rice (pureed with water)
1/2 tablespoon of miso paste (e.g. Miso Master Chick Pea Miso - Whole Foods)
Combine these all together in a blender or food processor
What is catastrophizing and am I doing it? According to the “experts” at healthline.com, “Catastrophizing is when someone assumes that the worst will happen. Often, it involves believing that you’re in a worse situation than you really are or exaggerating the difficulties you face.” Okay, no one wants to be a catastrophizer, but it sounds really easy to become one.