Fall is officially here– R.I.P. our beloved warm sunshine! But we’re not giving up on our vitamin D—you don’t have to rely on the sun for it, you can get it from your food too!
If you’re like many of us, chances are you’re not getting enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is necessary to help you absorb that essential bone-building calcium. Yes, although you can get Vitamin D from the sunshine in the warmer summer months it’s not possible to get enough from the fall and winter sun, so we’ll help you to get it from your food.
Have no fear—you can get vitamin D from eggs, as well as many vitamin D fortified products—think everything from fortified dairy and almond milk, cheese, cereal and juice to chocolate (yep, thankfully vitamin D fortification is running rampant! :)) You’d think with all of these options, we’d all have no trouble getting enough vitamin D, however, as we mentioned many people still aren’t getting enough.
So we want to give you an extra vitamin D boost today with our Cauliflower Gratin (done healthfully, of course!). The skim milk and low-fat cheese make this dish Vitamin D rich!
And if you’re looking for some other lightened up foods you may want to try creations like our Smoked Paprika Chips, Guilt-free Kale Chips, Spicy Carrot Fries, and our Skinny Zucchini Fries… And now these yummy nibblers!
Cauliflower Gratin
Serves: 4, large, 1 cups servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 1/2 large head)
- 1 1/2 cups skim milk, divided (Hello vitamin D! Almost all milks are Vitamin D fortified, check to make sure yours is!)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (Italian breadcrumbs work well too!)
- 3/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, divided (look for a vitamin D fortified cheese)
- 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose whole wheat flour
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives or 2 tsp of dried chives
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Directions
- Move rack to the top part of the oven; preheat broiler.
- Bring cauliflower, 1 1/4 cups milk and salt to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup cheese and oil. Whisk flour and the remaining 1/4 cup milk in another small bowl until smooth and then slowly stir in the flour mixture into the pan that contains the cauliflower mixture, continuously stirring until thickened, about 1 minute.
- Saute onions and garlic in cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat until onions just begin to caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, chives, mustard and pepper and onion and garlic mixture Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Broil until the top is crispy and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Enjoy!!
Nutrition Facts: 162 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 420 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 13 g protein
How do you get your vitamin D during the colder months? Fortified milk? Eggs? Fortified cereals and grains?
- 4 cups cauliflower, broken into small florets (about ½ large head)
- 1½ cups skim milk, divided (Hello vitamin D! Almost all milks are Vitamin D fortified, check to make sure yours is!)
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (Italian breadcrumbs work well too!)
- ¾ cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, divided (look for a vitamin D fortified cheese)
- ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose whole wheat flour
- Cooking spray
- ½ small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives or 2 tsp of dried chives
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- Move rack to the top part of the oven; preheat broiler.
- Bring cauliflower, 1¼ cups milk and salt to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, ¼ cup cheese and oil. Whisk flour and the remaining ¼ cup milk in another small bowl until smooth and then slowly stir in the flour mixture into the pan that contains the cauliflower mixture, continuously stirring until thickened, about 1 minute.
- Saute onions and garlic in cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat until onions just begin to caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Stir in the remaining ½ cup cheese, chives, mustard and pepper and onion and garlic mixture Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Broil until the top is crispy and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Enjoy!!