BBQ Cauliflower

Self Care and Balance

 Want to know what I do well?  I take care of my family. Guess what I don't do well. I forget to take care of myself.  I forget to do the things for myself that I do for my family.  I forget to buy myself new socks or winter gloves.  I forget to buy myself a book that I might enjoy reading.  I forget to have a bedtime routine.  I forget to look in the mirror and smile at myself as I am brushing my hair and I forget to plan out meals for myself. I bet many of you can relate to this.  I bet many of you have experienced or are experiencing this right now. The struggle with making self care equal to the level of care I put into my family is a struggle with balance. The two sides of this balancing act are different yet share the same desire and goal. One side is the pat on the back. I tell myself that forgetting to take care of myself is proof that I am hitting a home run or maybe a grand slam when it comes to taking care of my family and that my priorities are right where they need to be.  The other side is the warning.  If I fail to take care of myself and meet my own needs my battery life can and will run out. If my battery dies, then how will I ever take care of my family.  I spend lots of time trying to convince myself that self care is not selfish and that it is an important part of taking care of my family. I also try to remember that my children are watching and what I model will have an impact on them.  If they see me neglecting myself, might that have a negative impact on their concept of parenting? On the other hand, if they see me balancing self care with taking care of the family, might that be a powerful positive image of what a good parent does?  I try to remember that the latter of the two is where I need to be, but admittedly it is a daily struggle.

 What’s For Lunch?

One of my to-do list items each week is to plan out and shop for a full week of meals for my family. This helps to keep household things running smoothly.  The problem?  I don't always remember to include meals for myself.  And with that, balance is again lost. I plan out all meals and snacks for the week for my family.  I know what I am cooking when and who needs what for lunch. They all have what they need and I always feel great about that. What I don’t feel great about is being hungry come lunchtime and not having a plan for myself. By the time I finish planning, shopping and serving all the meals to my family, my battery is drained.  There isn’t much energy left for self care. I needed to find balance within simplicity. With that in mind, I decided to come up with some simple lunch ideas that don't involve much planning or prep time, have a short ingredient list and remain focused on fruits and/or veggies. One of my favorite recipes that meet all these requirements is BBQ cauliflower.

 The Win Win

BBQ Cauliflower definitely does not involve much planning or prep, and it only has two main ingredients, BBQ sauce and cauliflower.  I have BBQ sauce on hand so I simply add a head of cauliflower or two to my weekly shopping list and I have all I need for a tasty lunch or if need be a side.  I eat BBQ cauliflower at least once a week.  I love that I have a go-to lunch plan that doesn't require much thought and that self care is getting some attention.  I also love that I can enjoy eating something so good and know that I'm including a whopping serving of veggies as my main course. Cooking myself a tasty and nutritious lunch is indeed practicing good self care. It really is a win, win. Give it a try. I think you will love it!

 BBQ Cauliflower

Ingredients

• oil or broth for sautéing
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce, use more or less depending on how much cauliflower you have (I use a low sugar variety)
• A head of cauliflower (you could use frozen florets)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. If using fresh cauliflower, wash and cut up into bite sized pieces
2. Heat oil or broth in a skillet on medium high heat
3. Add cauliflower and sauté until brown
4. Reduce heat to medium, add the BBQ sauce and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

When I do make this, I try to make a big batch so I have leftovers. Cook once and eat twice.  It can also be enjoyed cold.

Plus It Up

There you have it!  Simple, easy, quick and a whole lot of veggie! Here are a few ways to plus it up:

• sauté' with onions and garlic
• add herbs when done cooking such as chives, parsley or cilantro
• serve over a bed of lettuce to add even more veggies

Check out the Facebook Live I did with this dish.

BBQ Cauliflower Facebook Live

Show Us Yours

If you make this we would love to hear about it!  Send us a pic on Facebook Messenger or Instagram Direct Messaging at Grow Your Lunch Oh.  Who knows, your picture could be featured (with your permission of course)  in one of our upcoming posts, emails or newsletters!