Cauliflower

About
The name of this elegant member of the cabbage family comes from the Latin "caulis" (stalk) and "floris" (flower). Cauliflower is composed of bunches of tiny creamy white florets on clusters of stalks of the same color. Some varieties have a purple or greenish tinge. Cauliflower is indeed, a flower. It grows from a plant that, in its early stages, resembles broccoli, its closest relative. Like broccoli, cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable; members of this family have been associated with reducing the risk of cancer. However, while broccoli opens outward to sprout bunches of green florets, cauliflower forms a compact head of undeveloped white flower buds. As it grows on a single stalk, the head (known as the "curd") is surrounded by heavily ribbed green leaves that protect it from sunlight, so that the flower buds never develop chlorophyll.

Availability
Year-round.

Nutrition Information:
• Fat and cholesterol free
• Very low sodium
• Low in calories
• High in vitamin C
• Good source of folate (folic acid)
• A cruciferous vegetable, believed to help reduce the risk of some forms of cancer.
• A good source of folacin, an important B vitamin, when eaten raw
For complete nutritional information, click here.

Additional Information
• Why Eat It - Selection - Storage - Preparation
• From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia