A flavorful and easy vegetarian Cauliflower Bolognese from Emilie Raffa’s new cookbook, The Clever Cookbook. Vegetarian + Optionally GF.
My friend Emilie, the creator of the popular blog The Clever Carrot, just published her first cookbook! I’m grateful to be part of this celebration of accomplishment, and joy and to share the love of simply good food with y’all! I’ve been a reader of The Clever Carrot for a long time and I’ve been soooo… looking forward to this. It’s finally here!
When I received Emilie’s new book, I couldn’t put it down. Rob had just returned home with the mail in hand. We were due in town and had to leave straight away. I ripped open the envelope and there it was; The Clever Cookbook. Rushing out the door, I took it with me and proceeded to turn page after page, gazing at Emilie’s beautiful photography and inspiring recipes. Every recipe has a photograph, y’all.
The Clever Cookbook; Get Ahead Strategies and Timesaving Tips for Stress-Free Home Cooking is chock full of timesaving tips and practical advice, from prep-ahead vegetables to batch-cooking grains, make preparing meals on busy nights a little less time consuming.
In addition to fabulous recipes, she shares quick tips to boost flavor without spending loads of extra time in the kitchen. Emilie not only uses these double-duty flavor boosters in her recipes, but shares tips on how to incorporate them in any recipe.
Have you ever dumped curry powder on your oatmeal instead of cinnamon? I’ve been there and laughed when I read about Emilie’s experience with this! Emilie shares tips to get organized in the spice department and how to make homemade spice blends, just one example of her flavor-boosting tips!
One of my favorite practical sections is on beans. Emilie shares how to prepare several varieties of beans from scratch, with or without soaking and in the slow cooker, taking the mystery out of how to cook beans.
But it’s not just the tips, recipes and photographs that give me reason to love this book. Emilie’s wit, humor and warmth shine in her casual style of writing. I feel as though I’m in the kitchen with her cooking, sharing stories with a glass of wine in hand.
There are so many recipes I want to share with y’all but eventually settled on Cauliflower Bolognese since cauliflower is so tasty and in season right now. And really, when I saw the photograph of this recipe, I just wanted to face-plant!
Others I’ve tagged for making posthaste include No-Peel Butternut Squash Soup, One-Pot Caribbean Black Beans & Couscous, Heaven on the Cob (hurry up Summer!!), Banana Cloud Cake, No Roll Blueberry Scones and Speedy Smashed Mediterranean Chickpeas. There are so many more.
While The Clever Cookbook is not purely vegetarian, some recipes are and many recipes are easily adaptable. Emilie’s book is one I’ll return to again and again for practical tips, inspiration, and delicious recipes. This book is not only clever, it’s brilliant! “Because at the end of the day, we all have to eat.”
If you’ve not visited The Clever Carrot, you can catch Emilie on her blog, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and follow along with #theclevercookbook. Her book is now available for purchase on Amazon.
*Congratulations to Carole, the winner of The Clever Cookbook Giveaway!
Cauliflower Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 Small Head of Cauliflower
- 2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
- 1 C Diced Onions 160g
- 1 Clove Garlic grated
- 2, 28 oz Cans of Whole Plum Tomatoes in thick puree, [794g]
- 1/2 C Red Lentils 96g
- Coarse Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 lb Thin Spaghetti Gluten Free if needed 454g
- Drizzle of Olive Oil
- Leaves Handful of Fresh Basil
- Wedge of Parmesan Cheese for grating
Instructions
Slice the cauliflower in half, removing the thick center core. Cut into large chunks. Add to a food processor, break up the cauliflower into florets. Do not dump all of the cauliflower at once. You'll need to process in batches to create uniform pieces. Pulse the cauliflower, only 1-2 times. It will look crumbly with small florets through-this is perfect. Dump the mixture into a large bowl and repeat this step until you've processed all of the cauliflower.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, warm the butter over low heat. Add the onions and saute' until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook stirring occasionally until the cauliflower begins to lose its shape and takes on a light golden color, about 5-6 minutes. Grate in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes and red lentils. Mix until well combined.
- Place the lid on top and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer (covered), for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is tender and the lentils are broken down. The sauce should look thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (See Note)
- When you're about ready to eat, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain* (See Note) and return to the pot. Drizzle with olive oil to coat.
- Portion your hearty cauliflower sauce over the pasta and top with basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve.
Recipe Notes
*I added about 1/2 a cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit. Adjust to taste.
Recipe reprinted with permission from The Clever Cookbook by Emilie Raffa
Hello! Sorry but can you tell me if this recipe calls for one or two 28 oz cans of plum tomatoes? Thanks! I’m looking forward to trying out this recipe.
Hi Debra! So sorry for the confusion. It is 2, 28oz cans. Thank you for your note and I hope you enjoy it!
I’m totally into a cauliflower craze right now and this looks delicious! I haven’t tried bolognese ever, but have seen many recipes otu there…this one sounds like a perfect try!
It really is a great recipe with plenty off hands of time to prep a salad. If you love cauli, you’ll love this recipe Anjali! :D
I use my freezer to save time. Through trial and error, I have a good group of things that I make, freeze uncooked, and then can cook quickly. Since I’m cheese free, I make about 6 full sized pizzas at a time, wrap them really well, and make my own homemade frozen pizzas. Another huge time saving tip is freezing pesto in ice cube trays then putting them in a baggie. Saves SO much time!
Oh my Mandy! The freezer saves me frequently! I love your tip about frozen pizzas. So smart on those nights when you just can fit anything else in! Thank you too for your tip on freezing pesto in ice cubes. I need to remember that because I just stuff it in a jar and have to thaw it all out when needed. I love the ice cube tip! Thank you for sharing Mandy! :D
Hi, I can’t wait to make this dish, yum! My husband & I Prep a lot of our food on Sundays so meals are quicker plus we make extra for lunches, we are big on freezing for those uh oh nights when plans change. thanks for the chance to win !
I hope you enjoy it Theresa! Oh thats the sweetest, you and your husband prep together! Love it! Extra lunches is a smart idea and the freezer saves me so many time too. Because, like you said, plans change! It’s nice to have something on the ready when you need it! Thank you for sharing Theresa! :D
Traci, this post is pure delight for the eyes! And I’m doubly delighted, in that I’m always on the lookout for new ways to eat more cauliflower. And this one has such a chic presentation! Thanks for the great addition to my recipe collection.
My favorite time-saving practice is salad-related. I’m a-salad-a-day kind of girl, generally eaten for lunch when I’m in the midst of busy,busy. And… to top it off, I prefer chopped salads (of course I would want the most labor-intensive kind!! :)), with several different types of greens, as well as a selection of hard vegetables, often a grain and some beans, and flavor pops like olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.- I want the salad to be my entire meal, with all the needed nutrients.
So when I prep for a salad, I make enough for several days:
The night before, I cook and cool a pot of grains, and rinse and drain the beans. Then each goes into separate jars in the frig,
On prep day, I start by putting some of the beans and grains in a large mixing bowl. Next, I chop and shred all the greens, dice and mince the hard veggies (like celery, snap peas, peppers, carrots, etc), and add to the bowl. I toss on any “dry” toppers, like chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, etc., and stir it all up, Then I put it in glass jars in the frig.
When it’s time to eat, I just pour some of the prepped greens mixture into my bowl, toss on a few capers or olives, cut a couple of cherry tomatoes, add avocado, season it, and sprinkle with lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.
I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it saves a LOT of time for the several days between prep work!!
I’m so happy you like the Bolognese, Thia. Cauliflower is a favorite of mine too. You are talking my kind of salad here! I’ve shared several like this on the blog, but I love how you organize yours and prep them ahead. Putting the components into jars is smart and allows for a fresher taste when ready to assemble! I’m with you too on the more ‘stuff’ you can pack in your salads, the better. It really is worth the time and effort. Slow food is my kind of food! And it can be done… it just takes some time, creativity and attention. Love this my dear! Thank you for sharing! :D
I freeze A LOT! I usually make lunches for my son at school so I cook as much as I can at once. There are bags of mini sandwich buns and stuffed pizza. I partially prep some ingredients just so I can freeze then take out and less work later. I will double batches of casseroles, serve one for dinner and freeze the other. I usually like to take the time to cook, but sometimes there are those days, where having premade food not from a box is really nice.
Such a smart tip Jeannie! Freezing saves me too.. saves me stress! :D Thats such a good thing, making lunches for your son. Saves time for other important things… like spending time with your son! Definitely having food not from a box is a good thing! Thank you for sharing my dear! :D
I love to prep things ahead for the week. Wash, peel and chop veggies needed for the first few days. Have some back up meals in the freezer in case of a change in plans, and meal plan meal plan meal plan!!!!
Oh my… that’s the theme of the day! Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Kylee! Such an important thing to do for one’s sanity! Freezer back up meals are sooo smart. It totally takes the stress off when you just don’t feel like cooking and oging out is NOT an option! Thank you for sharing Kylee! :D
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Very interested in this ckbk as I’ve given up eating red meat.
Way to go on your new food journey! I hope you enjoy this Stephanie!
Oooooh! I’m totally down with this recipe!! Looks delicious and I love that there’s not a lot of ingredients. Definitely going to have to make this one :)
It’s soo good Dawn…. there’s so much flavor for such a simple list of ingredients. You’re going to love this!
Can not wait to make this! :) I too like to plan my meals for the week and use my Sunday left overs to make soup or stirfry, pot pie, etc. I am always interested to learn/try new time saving cooking ideas.
Planning seems to be a common theme and an important one. I know if I don’t plan, I’m left scrambling and it’s too stressful! So, I’m with you Billie Jo! Plan, plan plan! Thank you for sharing!
Using a garbage bowl, ie, when I am prepping food, having a bowl next to me for things I am going to discard.
Great idea! I do this too, but use two. One to separate trash and the other for compost. Fewer trips to the trash makes for speedy meals and quicker clean up! Great tip, Christine! Thank you for sharing!
Planning ahead and meal prep are my best kitchen time savers!
Yesss… meal prep. Mine too, if I don’t get lazy. Thank you for sharing Lisa!
Wow! What a beautiful book!
As for my time saving strategy it is planning and making ahead as much as possible. Sometimes it is just pre-measuring ingredients, sometimes chopping, sometimes cooking whatever can be cooked beforehand.
Thank you, Yulia! I think so too. Agreed! Pre-measuring, mise en place, is so helpful! Always multitasking too, in the kitchen. I love the extra chop because that really saves me time over the long run! Thank you for sharing my dear!
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous Traci! I can’t wait to get my copy… especially with all these yummy dishes being recreated! We love cauliflower in our house so this one is going to be a winner. And it looks sooo good! <3 Pinned!
I hope it gets to you soon! Until then, enjoy this Cauli Bolognese… you’re going to love this Rakhee! xo
So many things to love about the Clever Carrot and her Cookbook! Traci you’ve done a beautiful job with this recipe and captured it with your signature style… who knew a head of cauliflower and a fist full of lentils could look so good? Oh my goodness, I just want to dig in! The photo with the loose strand of spaghetti reminds me of Lady and the Tramp — have you seen that Disney movie? We used to watch it (repeatedly) with the boys when they were young and our favorite moment is the The Bella Notte Spaghetti Scene when the two love bird pooches are nibbling on either end of a loose spaghetti strand – it’s utterly perfect, delicious and romantic. You’ve captured all of that warmth here – beautiful celebration post! Cheers to you & Emilie on the occasion of her cookbook release ~❤️ ~
Thank you Kelly! I opened it again, for a batch of rice, last night. I love books like that… for reference and recipes! Her work is inspiring and timeless. Yes, yes.. Lady and the Tramp! Oh my it’s been a long time since I saw that… thank you for the sweet memory! Thank you my dear! xo
What a beautiful dish! I love hearty dishes like this!
Thank you Annie! Me to.. and this one is so hearty.
This recipe is so smart and I love hearing about new cookbooks… Clever Carrot has a way with beautiful recipes, doesn’t she? Lovely as always, Traci!
Thank you Alison… and her book is just like that. Smart. You’d love it! xo :D
I too was bowled over by Emilie’s terrific book. Her food is so good, and her time-saving strategies make so much sense, making weeknight cooking a breeze. Please do not include me in your Giveaway -I already have a copy of The Clever Cookbook, and congratulations on a lovely review!
Agreed Adri! And thank you for your sweet note! :D
The first thing I thought when I saw that opening photo was, “whoa”. Beautiful, Traci!!! I absolutely love the idea of using cauliflower in this recipe. My time-saver is cleanup related – I cover the counters I will be using to bake/cook with plastic wrap and then wrap it into one neat and tidy ball when done and the counters are spotless! xo.
Thaaaank you Tessa! Yeah, the cauliflower is such a delicious addition and brings out fabulous flavor and texture!
Just got his book and I love it so much too!! It shows that delicious home cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. Such a great variety of recipes too, right? Your cauliflower pasta is stunning and such a nice alternative to meat bolognese. :)
Hooray! So true, Emily! And yes, a really nice variety of recipes. What will you make first?! :D
Sounds like my kind of cookbook! Cool idea making a cauliflower bolognese too – I love using cauliflower in unusual ways Xx
Cauliflower is amazing, right? I love it too Thalia and it’s so luscious in Emilie’s recipe. :D
Wow your bolognese looks gorgeous! I’m sure the recipe is wonderful and this dish tastes amazing, but your photos have wow’d me for sure!! Looks stunning, Traci! <3
Thank you Beeta! xo
Traci, your photos of the bolognese are GORGEOUS!!!! I just want to dig right in! I love Emilie’s blog, and I’m so happy that she came out with a cookbook!
Oh Lisa, I appreciate that so much. Thank you my dear :D . And you know, girrl, I dug right in. See those two forks? I had one in each hand! LOL.
I’m the biggest fan of cauliflower, trust me and I always look for new recipes to use it in my kitchen. I never new you can make such amazing dish. Perfect combo!! :)
Oh it’s sooo good Agness, and versatile! You’re going to love this!
Traci this is just beautiful, and what a lovely review of your friend’s cookbook! I have been hearing so many good things about her cookbook lately, and you just made me want to get my hands on it! As far as time saving tips – if I am really on top of my meal planning I try to prepare things ahead of time. If I am chopping veggies and I know I am going to use more later in the week, I try to do them all at once. Same thing with cooking. If I know I am going to use rice a few times in the week, I make a big pot, or make extra chicken for a recipe later in the week. I love the other readers suggestions of preparing garlic and ginger ahead of time! That is a fantastic idea!
Thank you Meghan! I hear you.. When I don’t meal prep, even just take an hour or two to plan out the week, I feel it later when I’m scrambling to figure out what to make during the week. It’s stressful too. But sometimes I get lazy on the weekend and just don’t want to do anything in the kitchen :( . Thank you for your tips on making extra. So smart! Yeah, isn’t the garlic and ginger smart? Garlic cloves can be a pain to get into and so sticky, slowing me down when I need to be quick!
You really have done such a fantastic job on this post and showcased Emilie and her talents so so well. You are a gem Traci.
I know what you mean when you said, you couldn’t put it down, I was going through it for hours. Gosh, it’s such a proud moment to see a friend, accomplish things.
I love this recipe so much, I really need to add one more to my todo lists. I adore cauli.
Beautiful pictures as usual my dear.
xx
Thank you Asha :D . It is so exciting to finally see a friend’s work that they’ve poured their heart into. I know you’d love this one Asha! xo
This sounds like such a wonderful cookbook! I love, love, love red lentils, but I’ve never tried them in a bolognese – this is such a brilliant idea! And your photos are just stunning, Traci!
Emilie’s book is just that, Kathleen! Isn’t it brilliant? Lentils in this bolognese? They just melt down into sauce adding a good dose of protein and flavor. I love them too. Thank you for your kind words my dear! :D
Like others have mentioned – I always wash my greens and prep my veggies so they’re ready to go. If I’m just feeling like a stir fry or a curry it’s so much easier!
Such a good idea Nora. I love stir frys and curries too for those quick weeknight meals! Thank you for sharing!
Love this recipe! Red lentils are my favorite and I;ve never tried it in pasta. My favorite time-saving thing to do in the kitchen is to prep/make more than one meal at the same time! You’re already in the kitchen, waiting for things to cook and saute, so you may as well have two different pots going or the oven baking a second meal!
It’s sooo good Anjali! I love red lentils too and they’re so good in soups, but like you, have never tried it with pasta! Making more than one meal at a time is genius! I love that idea! Thank you for sharing my dear. :D
I always have ripe frozen bananas and other fruits in the freezer to make green smoothies. One a month, I stock up on greatly discounted ripe organic bananas from a local market. Back home, I prep the bananas by placing the peeled, sliced bananas in a single layer in (freezer safe) ziplocs in the freezer. I do the same with seasonal fruits. Makes the green smoothies habit an easier one to keep.
Yes, yes!! Stacey (below) was just saying the same thing, Danielle! It’s such a smart way to stay on track too. Prepping those banana’s and seasonal fruits ahead helps me stay on track with smoothies. Such a good tip! Thank you for sharing! :D
My time saving trick is roasting extra veggies whenever i cook- then toss into pasta or quinoa for a quick weeknight meal. Love this space!
Oh that’s fabulous Pooja! I often forget that roasting extra veggies is something I can do to save time. Such a smart idea! Thank you for sharing! :D
This dish looks so sophisticated and elaborate, so I was stunned to see such a short list of ingredients! What a wonderful choice from Emilie’s new cookbook :)
Oh I know, Sarah! It’s such a short list, but that slow simmer make the simplicity of the ingredients shine! Your going to love this! :D
You’ve done Emilie proud with this gorgeous post, Traci. Your review has me hankering to pour myself a glass of wine and get lost for a spell in her book. It just so happens we’re taking a short road trip tonight and Emilie’s is my book of choice (minus the wine til we get home). Her recipe sounds amazing and your photos capture it perfectly! Thanks for sharing, my dear.
Awwh, thank you Annie! You’re going to love her book.. but yes, pour that glass of wine. We’ll all be collectively enjoying it and quietly celebrating with you while browsing through Emilie’s book! And how was your road trip? xo
Hi Traci,
I love to chop up my onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a cast iron skillet and have it ready to throw in my crock-pot the next day for a quick meal prep in the morning to boost the flavor of my soups during slow cooking.
Hi Sonja! Oh the magic of onions, carrots, celery and garlic! Delicious in anything they accompany. A fabulous get ahead tip! Thank you for sharing! :D
We love cauliflower, so I definitely need to try this! We batch prep foods on afternoons (or kid rest times) that are a little slower. That way we have soup, casseroles, salads, veggies prepped for at least several days. Bonus if we can make enough extra to freeze and pull out on a night we are too busy or for a crazy week when we don’t plan ahead.
If you love cauli… oh my Melissa, your house will smell amazing! Batch prep is so smart and freezing extras makes the week a snap! I love pulling an already prepped dinner from the freezer! Thank you for sharing my dear! :D
I bake most of our bread, including sourdough. To save time I measure out ingredients needed the night before. Not only does it save time but it gives me that extra push the next morning to actually make the bread instead of being lazy & putting it off until another day!!!
Oh my Stephanie! Home baked sourdough is incredible! So smart to prep the night before so your ready and willing! I hear you on the lazy part! :D Thank you for sharing!
I’ve really fallen off the smoothie wagon recently with a second babe now in the mix:) My toddler and I really miss them, so I’ve just started separating the things I want for the smoothies into baggies or containers so the next morning I can pull a baggie out of the freezer or fridge and just dump it all in at once! If it was in the freezer, this typically spares having to put any ice in, either, as it typically waters them down more than I prefer:) It’s really saved time and my tendency to just say nevermind when all I can get to is the almond milk and banana before being interrupted!
So smart Stacey. Prepping for smoothies is a great way to stay on track with the smoothie game. Fruit is so easy to chop and freeze so why not!? Thank you for sharing my dear!
What a great review, Traci! I am always looking for time saving tips so I’m looking forward to reading Emilie’s cookbook. My favorite time saver is definitely Sunday prep -cook some quinoa and chop up all the veggies that I plan to use during the week and store in the fridge so they are ready to grab and add into salads or a quick stir fry or a wrap during the week. Yes, it takes a bit of time on Sunday to do but I’m always glad during the week that everything is prepped and ready to go – especially in the morning when I’m trying to make a quick lunch to bring to work. Looking forward to trying this recipe – gorgeous photos as always!!
No doubt, people who cook need all the time saving tips they can get! Because, lets face it, cooking takes time no matter what. So if we can learn to be more efficient in the kitchen, all the better! That’s such a great tip, Geraldine. Taking a bit of time on the weekend to prep for the week is soooo worth it! The week is a lot less hectic for sure! You’re going to love this Geraldine! xo
I love cooking recipes from various cuisines and to whip all those dishes throughout the week can be tedious if you don’t manage time and resources well. A few things that really help me – i make garlic butter (fry 4-5 bulbs worth of chopped garlic and cook in butter) and freeze them to use throughout the week, sometimes 2. I also keep some tomato-onion puree made during the weekend and freeze it to use through the week. Same goes with grated ginger (for my Indian Masala chai) and some chopped veggies (whenever i get fresh veggies with a good deal).. really helps make life easy.
I am so glad i happen to see this recipe on your blog. It looks so inviting and the picture itself made me salivate :) I love cauliflower and is always on a lookout for inspirations. This is probably the first time i have seen spaghetti with cauliflower and WOW its all vegetarian.. makes it so irresistible for me !!I am going to try this soon. Thanks a lot Traci ! This is awesome.. i am sure there are more such awesome recipes in the cookbook to give a go !!
Oh my Prachi.. I’m salivating over your fried garlic with butter!! That and your Masala chai sound amazing! I need that recipe STAT!! You and Jan (below) prepare your garlic ahead of time and I love that tip! So smart. Too about buying veggies on sale, prepping and freezing them. I tend to do that, especially at the end of summer, preparing for the long winter. It was definitely the cauliflower and the richness of this recipe that drew me in. But I’m also a big lentil lover, so paring those together in a rich tomato broth flipped my switch! Emiliy’s book is a gem and I so happy to share her incredible work! Thank you for sharing Prachi! :D
You have turned me into eating more vegetarian meals with your beautiful pictures, and yummy recipes! Thanks!
Hooray!! Thank you Ginny! I hope you enjoy this one. It’s so hearty and nourishing! :D
I use garlic a lot! To save time I pulse lots of garlic in my food processor then store in my freezer. That way its super handy when I need it in a hurry.
Oh my! So smart, Jan! I love this idea. I’m with ya! And because I buy so much garlic from the farm, this is the time of year it starts sprouting. I never thought of pulsing cloves then freezing them! Thank you for this my dear! :D
Recipe looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it out! My favorite time saving tip in the kitchen is to prep vegetables over the weekend – chopping and cleaning to have them ready and set for a healthy week!
Thank you Carolina! Such a smart time saving tip! Having fresh veggies on the ready helps me control other not so healthy snacking cravings I get! Thank you for sharing my dear! :D
Traci, so beautifully written!! My favorite part : You feel like you are in the kitchen with Emilie with a glass of wine! :) You were so spot on! Gorgeous book by Emilie and beautifully done recipe by YOU! Your pictures are just stunning my dear! Cant get enough of it!
Oh yes, Amisha and you’d be right there with us, toasting this celebratory event! Thank you for your kind words! xo
Traci, this cauliflower bolognese looks amazing! Beautifully prepared. Wasn’t this cookbook great? Just loving Emilie’s writing and recipes. Thoroughly enjoying seeing what everyone chose to make as well. It was a tough choice! My husband is a vegetarian, so this bolognese will most likely be our next dish to make. Thank you for sharing such an enticing post!
Thank you, Teresa! The cookbook.. is just fabulous! I can’t seem to put it down.. and have tagged so many recipes to try! And that banana cloud cake… it’s on my list! You and your husband are going to love this! :D
Such a beautiful recipe and a wonderful review as well. I love that her book includes so many time saving tips. I would say the most important things I do to save time is meal planning and shopping just once per week. I’ve done it for almost 7 years now and it’s basically a way of life at this point. Prepping beans is one area I could definely improve on. I’m always lazy and buy them canned. I would love to read about Emilie’s tips on that!
Emilie’s book is just rich with deliciousness and her writing draws me in. You’d love it Sarah! How smart to only hit the store once a week! Staying organized is key and you’ve done it! I’d love to see your process. No doubt, I get lazy too and buy canned. I’m getting better at soaking beans since our farm grows so many of them. I really like supporting them and buying local. Thank you for Sharing Sarah! :D
Cauliflower is by far one of my favorite vegetables, not only is it delicious, but I love how versatile it is! Turning it into a Bolognese is genius! I can see why you chose this recipe, because I sure as heck want to face plant immediately into a vat of this! I definitely need to check out that cookbook, because it sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Traci! Cheers, dear friend! Xo
Mine to Chey!! It’s amazing, isn’t it!? Yeah, I just kept coming back to this recipe, although there are so many others! We’ll face plant together! You’d love Emilie’s cookbook! Thank you my dear! xo :D
Traci, I’m overwhelmed with happiness. This is absolutely beautiful, in so many ways. It’s so warm and inviting… I want to invite myself over to share a plate! And a glass of wine! (I’ll bring dessert?). Also, I know I mentioned this yesterday, but I am so excited you chose this particular recipe. As you know, it’s a modern adaptation of a dish my grandfather used to make. And to see it here, dressed up with style, is mind-blowing. Thank you. It brings back such lovely memories. I’m so happy you like the book :) xoxo
Yay! Emilie!! Thank you my dear and yes, bring dessert! How about that banana cloud cake, okay? Okay! I love this adaptation from your grandfather’s recipe and that you shared things like this in your book… that’s what makes your book extra special. How this food is tied to your family and your heart. I just love your book Emilie! Thank you for sharing with us! :D
The Cauliflower Bolognese looks terrific! I missed the oregano but I guess the fresh Basil will give it a nice herby flavor. Several months ago I bought an Instant Pot. I now do a lot of cooking at pressure (instead of under pressure). Better than a stove top unit, I just set it and forget it. Don’t need to monitor to get the heat right, don’t need to stand over it to turn it off when the time comes. I do four days of oatmeal with spice and dried fruits at a time so I just portion out 1/4 in a bowl and heat in the microwave. Brown rice made with chicken stock same thing (not for breakfast) but it keeps in the fridge for days safely and is then easy to combine and reheat in the microwave.
Thank you Peter! It’s just packed with flavor! Feel free to add a bit of oregano, of course, and it would be a fabulous addition for sure. I used parsley because it’s still growing around here (no basil till Summer). I’ve not ever used a pressure cooker.. but people I talked with love their pressure cookers. So smart too about oatmeal. What a time saver! Thank you for sharing Peter! :D
Because I cook Vegan/Vegetarian, veggies flow in my kitchen like crazy. So washing the lettuce and putting in between paper towel, then in a plastic bag makes it ready to use immediately. Chopping and bagging all the veggies right away also makes them ready to use immediately. Right when coming home from the store, I do the work and prep then, so during the week making dinner is a snap!
I’m with ya, Catherine! I love this too… prepping the veggies right away. I find by doing this, I’m more likely to reach for a better-for-me snack later when I’m hangry rather than grabbing something like a bag of chips! :( Thank you for sharing your tips, Catherine! :D
Once a week, cook a large pot of beans (alternating varieties) to have them ready to add to a quick soup, toss in a casserole, roll up in a tortilla with avocado and salsa, or to add protein to a stir fry. I often roast a couple of heads of cauliflower a week so this will be a nice change up from that. Additionally, Cauliflower is high in nutrients.
Such a great idea, Candace! Beans are so versatile. I need to start doing this… so smart! And cauliflower is soooo good for us and like beans, incredibly versatile! I love it too! Thank you for sharing Candace! :D
I’ve been trying to incorporate more cauliflower in my diet so I definitely will try this recipe. My time saver is to cook double or triple portions of soups, chilies, etc and freeze for a no work evening dinner. I also prep and cook on the weekends also.
Hooray for Cauli Carol!! Me too! It’s sooo good, right? I love your tip about doubling or tripping portions of soups, chilis etc and freezing them for a no work evening dinner! There’s nothing like coming home and dinner is served! It’s like you have a live in cook (during the week!). I love it! Thank you for sharing, Carol! :D
My time saving strategy is simple: I prepare a crockpot recipe the night before and all I need to do in the morning is to start the crockpot and voila! Dinner is ready when I get home that night.
Nothing like having dinner ready when you get home from a long day! So smart Catherine! I forget I can do that! Thank you for the reminder my dear! :D
Great post, as always, and I adore Emilie, too! My tip: For recipes in which we need to break down cauloflower, like this one; or Cauliflower Rice or pizza crust or the Cauliflower Hash Browns on my blog, I use the grating disk on the food processor rather than the steel blade. It is faster, neater, more thorough, and better texture!
Thank you, Deb! Yeah, the grating disk is a good tool to use too! I don’t know what I’d do without a foodprocessor! It’s such a huge time saver! :D
im only a week long member of this Vanilla & Bean website and I’ve already learned lots of great new recipies and time saving ideas. I love it!! My husband takes a salad everyday for lunch so I wash greens in cold water with a splash of vinegar, spin them then layer a portion of greens between a paper towel ( only three layers at a time) into a larger covered bowl and refrigerate. Then my husband just grabs a layer of greens every morning and adds whatever other toppings he wants. And I get a few extra minutes of ” beauty sleep” LOL !!
Thaaank you Claudia! I’m so happy your enjoying the blog! :D I’m intrigued by the splash of vinegar. What is it for? I love your tip about the paper towel. I’ve not tried it! Good tip, especially for more beauty sleep! I know I could use more of that! hehe! Thank you for sharing Claudia! :D
My favorite time saving strategy is Sunday prep. If I can just chop produce in advance, making snacks and meals throughout the week is so much less stressful!
Oh spending a few hours in the kitchen during the weekend to prep for the week is such a great idea! Anything to free up a bit of time during the week makes the work week a bit less crazy! Thank you for sharing Kelly! :D
This looks like the ultimate winter/chilly weather dinner, so chock full of the good stuff! My favorite time saver is prepping, all the time! If I have a free moment in the morning I’ll bake a potato for later, thaw out some soup, anything :)
Totally is, Abby… hearty and hello? Carbs! YES!! I feel like that too… because I think about food all day long (hehe), I’m always messing with it! :D
I do all my cooking for the week in one day over the weekend. Grocery shop during the week for anything I might need then cook on Sunday. I break it all down into portions and then freeze for during the week!
Oh my, yes! Pre-prepping for the week = a lot less stress! That is awesome, Lynn! Thank you for sharing! :D
Before I go to bed I look over any recipes I plan on making the next day. I double check I have all the ingredients, start soaking any bean, grain, nut,etc. I also like to toast batches of seeds or nuts and freeze them so that I have them ready to throw into a salad or top a dish.
Such a good idea to preview recipe plans, Molly. And yes on soaking! I tend to forget about that part and really need to get in a better habit. I’ve done it with some things like oats, chia and buckwheat… it’s the nuts in beans I need to work on. Thank you for your tips! :D
Oh Traci, this cauliflower bolognese looks incredible! I will definitely be trying it because I am a huge cauliflower fan! Emilie’s blog is a favorite of mine! Her recipes and photography are just wonderful! I cannot wait to read her new cookbook! My time saving strategy in the kitchen is always to chop any vegetables needed for a dish ahead of time and place in small tupperware containers. Have a great weekend Traci!
You’d love this Mary Ann! Oh and I’m with you on Cauliflower! Such a smart tip for prepping those veggies ahead of time. Thank you Mary Ann.. and you too!! :D
So yummy looking!
My favorite time saving strategy in the kitchen is to do as much chopping and prepping of vegetables as possible when I get home from the grocery store. That way, storage and cooking is much faster when it’s time to eat!
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Oh that’s such a great way to save time… and smart that you take care of those veggies straight away. Sometimes I forget about them, hiding out under another veggie. Thank you for your tip Megan! :D
Once a week I will make a potroast or roast a whole chicken as well as roasting a couple of pans of veggies. I purchase a loaf od day-old bread and make croutons, we love them on salads and with soups. During the week I’ll use the leftovers to make dinners for the three of us. This week the potroast later became enchiladas with black beans and roasted peppers, a hearty soup with barley and kale, and old-fashioned SOS (s**t on a shingle). I make a fresh salad each night, often adding the roasted veggies. I love reading cookbooks and getting new ideas to feed the people I love. Food = Love. It’s great to see my family walk in the door at the end of the day and see them inhale the aromas from the yumminess I have prepared. Can’t wait to try this cauliflower bolognese, we’ve been wanting to cut back on meat and this is a perfect recipe for that!
I couldn’t agree more, Susan! Food is love. A way for us to support and nurture the ones we love. I love the idea of using leftovers to prep other meals during the week. It makes for a less hectic workweek for sure! :D