Edible: Eat Your Vegetables

Edible, adj.:  Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm.  ~Ambrose Bierce

And cauliflower to a. . .well, not to my husband. He's not a fan. Until tonight.

In the summer heat, I cook in batches after the sun goes down. Currently in the oven, half a dozen chicken breasts on the bone. Just roasted: two cookie sheets of vegetables -- cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, snow peas -- and several mini-loaves of banana bread. Dry chilis soak while I toast spices for the harissa.

So what's for dinner? We munched earlier on the turkey meatballs I made last night, so I filled a couple small plates with oven-roasted cauliflower & broccoli served with a fresh jalapeno ranch dressing.  That'll do it.

Oven-Roasted Veggies with Homemade Ranch Dressing

Step 1: Veggies

1. Spray, brush or toss veggies in olive oil. My favorite roasted veggies are broccoli, asparagus, red peppers, roma tomatoes, cauliflower, rutabagas, carrots. Salt /very/ lightly.
2. Sprinkle with garlic powder. (If you toss with olive oil, add freshly minced garlic and fleur de sal to the oil.)
3. Roast on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Play it by ear to avoid overcooking. Veggies should be browned and al dente.

Step 2: Spicy Herbed Ranch Dressing

Beforehand: Put a 32 oz. tub of nonfat yogurt in a muslin or cheesecloth, set it in a strainer and let the liquid drain for at least a couple of hours. Voila! "Greek" yogurt, aka "yogurt cheese."

Ingredients
2/3 c. reduced fat buttermilk
2 T minced fresh chives or green onions
2 T minced red onion
2 T minced fresh Italian parsley
1 T minced fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1/8 t. dry mustard
1 FAT clove of garlic (or more), minced
salt, fresh ground pepper
1 T lemon juice
1 T olive oil
1 c. drained plain nonfat yogurt

Directions
Put all the ingredients in a jar, seal and shake like crazy. This is wonderful fresh, and even better the next day when the herbs have married. If you're on Weight Watchers, 1/4 cup = 1 pt.

Et cetera

• Feel like something spicier? Add Sriracha or Louisiana Hot Sauce.
• If you prefer, don't add buttermilk and use the spicy herbed yogurt cheese as a spread. I was using cream cheese in our wraps until I found out the fat calories. Gah! This is a tasty substitute!