When it comes to great veggies, looks aren’t everything — so don’t be fooled by cauliflower’s funny appearance. Cauliflower brings star power to comfort-food classics such as cauliflower with cheese sauce, to gourmet purées and to exotic fare such as Indian curried cauliflower. Cauliflower’s mild, slightly nutty flavor takes to a variety of preparations:

• Roast cauliflower with olive oil, garlic and seasonings until it’s rich and golden
• Simmer cauliflower in chicken broth or other seasoned liquid about 10 minutes, then purée and serve as a side dish
• Add cauliflower florets (clusters) to stir-fries
• Toss lightly steamed cauliflower with chopped toasted walnuts, chopped parsley and a little butter or olive oil
• Serve sautéed cauliflower with a simple curry sauce of unflavored fat-free yogurt seasoned with curry powder
• Make a crunchy chopped veggie salad with cauliflower, broccoli and red bell pepper; Toss with Italian dressing.
• Make an Italian-style stir-fry of cauliflower, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and olives

Cauliflower is a member of a vegetable family that includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables. Eating a lot of these vegetables may reduce your risk of certain types of cancer. Cauliflower is a source of vitamin C, which the body requires for growth, repair and maintenance of all body tissues.

• Chop finely and add to kid favorites such as macaroni and cheese
• Steam, then purée and use to thicken soups and stews
• Cut up and serve with low-fat ranch dressing as a dip
• Mince and add to pasta sauce
• Serve with a cheese sauce made with skim milk and reduced-fat cheese