Oven Roasted Cauliflower

My personal trainer-friend told me that it only takes small changes in small increments to make them effective, especially when it comes to getting healthy and eating healthier.

One of the things I have tried to embrace this year as a "small change" is trying new recipes involving vegetables I can <cough> tolerate more than others.

My confession to all who read this: I LOVE cauliflower - but only if it's baked THIS way.

It takes anywhere from 5-10 minutes of prep time, and cooks for no more than 50-minutes.
I got the recipe from The Little Things Blog.  She cuts her pieces differently, so they are more of a slice, rather than pieces like mine.

Here's how I make it, and I included lots of photos even though it's a really easy recipe, because, well, that's how I roll.

Ingredients

• head of cauliflower
• olive oil
• sea salt
• pepper to taste (not pictured)

Tools & Utensils

• cutting board
• knife
• parchment paper
• cookie sheet

Prepare:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.
Wash cauliflower head if needed.  Cut or peel the leaves off. 
Slice off pieces of the cauliflower at the base of the stem.
Slice the piece in half from the stem side, to make a flat side of the piece of cauliflower.

Coat:
Place the pieces, flat side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. 
Drizzle olive oil over the pieces.  I coat the pieces in their entirety by moving them around in the drizzled oil to completely coat.  Lightly sprinkle the sea salt over the oiled pieces and a dash of pepper.  (You can always add more later if you miss this.)
Note on coating the pieces:
You can optionally coat the pieces by placing three (3) tablespoons of oil and a 1/2-teaspoon of salt in a large Ziploc bag, then placing the pieces in the bag, zipping it up and tossing gently.  I haven't tried this, (or have any photos for it) but, I would imagine it would actually be healthier as the pieces wouldn't be drenched in oil like these are.  In my experience though, cauliflower breaks off easily, so I'm not sure if I would like this route as I like my pieces big enough to pick up and eat.

Bake:
Bake for at least 30-minutes.  Check after the 30-minutes and add additional time in five (5) minute increments to get a browned, slightly crispy to the touch texture.  I haven't baked a batch for more than 45-minutes.
Note on baking:
The time to bake varies on the size of your cut pieces.  I have made this recipe several times, and not once has it been the same baking time.  They can get blackened if not checked on after 30-minutes.

The result should be slightly crispy, but soft inside pieces of cauliflower, that could potentially serve up to four, depending on the serving sizes.
I've eaten the entire batch before - and I'm not ashamed to say it.

Enjoy.