This healthy cauliflower and mushroom recipe brings together roasted vegetables, hearty wild rice, fresh herbs, lemon, nuts and a little sweetness from dried cranberries to create a colourful, satisfying meal that feels comforting as well as nourishing.
For anyone living with cancer, food can become a complicated subject. Appetite may change, tastes can differ and treatment can make certain foods harder to tolerate. There is no single “cancer diet”, and no one food can prevent, treat or cure cancer. But there is plenty we can do to support overall health through the foods we eat.
A varied diet rich in vegetables, wholegrains, fruit, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds is recommended as part of a healthy lifestyle. These foods provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and a wide range of naturally occurring plant compounds.
…and this recipe is a delicious place to start!
What are the Nutritional Benefits?
Different plant foods contain different combinations of vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals. Eating a diverse range of plant foods helps broaden the nutritional benefits we receive from our diet.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family, alongside broccoli, cabbage, kale and brussel sprouts.
These vegetables contain compounds called glucosinolates, which are broken down during chopping, chewing and digestion into biologically active compounds including isothiocyanates. Research has explored how these compounds may influence processes such as inflammation, protection from cellular damage and the body’s handling of certain carcinogens.
Mushroom
Earthy, savoury and nutritious, mushrooms bring more to this dish than just flavour. They contain B vitamins, selenium, ergothioneine and beta-glucans which are naturally occurring compounds that researchers are investigating for their roles in immune and overall health. Research into mushrooms and cancer is ongoing. A meta-analysis of observational studies found an association between higher mushroom consumption and lower cancer risk.
Wild Rice
Despite its name, wild rice is actually the seed of an aquatic grass rather than a conventional rice variety.
It provides carbohydrates for energy and, when eaten as part of a varied diet, contributes to fibre and other nutrients. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends we aim for around 30g of fibre each day, primarily from foods such as wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and pulses. Strong evidence shows that diets higher in fibre and wholegrains are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
Fibre also supports the trillions of microorganisms living in our gut, helping to create a healthy environment for digestion and overall wellbeing.
Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom & Wild Rice Bowl
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the rice
- 1½ cups wild rice or wild rice blend
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the roasted vegetables
- 1 small cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 250g mushrooms, sliced or halved
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
To garnish
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast
- Extra lemon juice, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Cook the rice
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and gently sauté the onion for around 5 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the wild rice, then add the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and cook according to the instructions on your rice packet, as cooking times can vary between varieties.
Once tender, drain any excess liquid and stir through the lemon juice.
2. Roast the vegetables
While the rice cooks, heat your oven to 180°C.
Place the cauliflower and mushrooms on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well so everything is lightly coated.
Season with black pepper and roast for approximately 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the cauliflower is tender and beginning to caramelise and the mushrooms are beautifully browned.
3. Bring everything together
Combine the cooked wild rice with the roasted cauliflower and mushrooms.
Scatter over the dried cranberries, fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts.
Finish with Parmesan or nutritional yeast, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a generous twist of black pepper.
Serve warm.
Make it work for you
One of the most important things about healthy eating is making it realistic. If you’re cooking for someone going through cancer treatment, or you’re experiencing treatment yourself, don’t feel that you have to eat exactly as the recipe suggests.
You could:
- Add chickpeas or lentils for extra protein and fibre.
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Leave out the dried cranberries if you prefer a less sweet dish.
- Use brown rice, quinoa or another wholegrain instead of wild rice.
- Add spinach, kale or roasted peppers for even more vegetables.
- Use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for a dairy-free version.
It’s easy to fall into an all-or-nothing mindset with food, but your health isn’t determined by one meal. It’s the overall pattern that matters.
Happy cooking!
The original recipe was found via Food Matters.
At Together Against Cancer, we often welcome guest speakers to the Wellness Centre to support your healing journey, including nutritional guidance and ways to easily maintain an optimum diet during a healing journey. Keep an eye on our events page for an updated schedule of workshops over the coming months: https://www.togetheragainstcancer.org.uk/events/
