Any farmers’ market shopper knows that summertime is a prime season for excellent produce. And while I love tomatoes and stone fruits as much as anyone, I’m partial to the handful of cool-weather vegetables that crop up at my local market as summer turns to fall. Think crucifers and veggies that grow in heads — broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, and cabbage.
Most of these vegetables are available year-round at many grocery stores. But because they thrive in cooler temperatures, fall is often a great time to find locally grown varieties.
Whatever the weather where you live, it’s always a good time to consider building a meal around a head of one of these vegetables. They boast an impressive array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They’re all good sources of vitamins C and K, which help support the immune system, bone health, blood-sugar regulation, and more. Another nutrient they have in common: folate, a B vitamin that’s crucial for building blood cells and DNA.
Any way you slice them, these hearty vegetables offer a variety of health-supporting benefits. And these recipes will make you feel good from your head to your toes.
Green Goddess Broccoli Salad
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 20 minutes
Salad
- 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup diced red cabbage
- 1 tbs. dried cranberries, chopped
- ¼ cup roasted cashews, chopped
- ½ cup diced fresh mozzarella
Green Goddess Dressing
- ¾ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup fresh parsley, loosely packed
- 1 tbs. fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbs. fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbs. fresh dill
- 3 tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Mix the broccoli, carrot, cabbage, cranberries, cashews, and mozzarella in a large bowl.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (small flecks of herbs will remain).
- Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.
Bok Choy Miso Soup
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 15 minutes • Cook time 20 minutes
- 1 tbs. sesame oil
- ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 2 tbs. white miso paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 6 oz. rice noodles
- 2 heads baby bok choy, stalks diced and leaves thinly sliced
- ½ cup mung-bean sprouts
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Sriracha, to taste
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion and mushrooms until they begin to soften, approximately five minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about two minutes more.
- Stir in the salt and miso paste, then add the broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Adjust the heat as needed to bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the noodles and cook according to package directions. When the noodles are about halfway done, add the bok choy.
- Once the noodles are tender and the bok choy is wilted, stir in the bean sprouts.
- Divide the soup among four bowls, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and sriracha to taste.
Mediterranean Caramelized Cabbage With Tzatziki Sauce
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 10 minutes • Cook time 1 hour
Cabbage
- 1 head savoy cabbage
- 2 tbs. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 tbs. tahini
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp. dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
- ¼ tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup grated cucumber
- 1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. minced fresh dill
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the cabbage head in half and cut each half into four wedges.
- In a cast-iron pan (or other oven-safe vessel), warm 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat until shimmering.
- Cook the cabbage wedges in batches, flipping once and adding the second tablespoon of oil as necessary, until the cut sides are well browned, approximately four to six minutes per side.
- While the cabbage is browning, mix the tahini, oregano, thyme, rosemary, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Remove the browned cabbage wedges from the pan. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan, then add the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, then remove the pan from heat.
- Spread the tahini mixture over the bottom of the pan and arrange the cabbage wedges in the pan in a single layer (a bit of overlap is fine).
- Pour in the vegetable broth and place the pan in the oven.
- Roast until the cabbage is fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- While the cabbage is roasting, make the tzatziki sauce by mixing the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, and salt in a small bowl.
- Scoop the cabbage and the tahini mixture out of the pan, and serve with the tzatziki sauce alongside.
Crispy Cauliflower Parmesan
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 15 minutes • Cook time 30 minutes
- 4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
- ½ tsp. dried basil
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 tbs. butter
- ½ small white onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup canned tomato sauce
- 2 tbs. minced fresh parsley
- ½ cup panko or other breadcrumbs (or gluten-free alternative)
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the oregano, rosemary, basil, and salt. Add the cauliflower and toss until well coated, then place it on the baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork-tender and beginning to crisp at the edges.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until lightly golden, approximately five minutes, then add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and fresh parsley, and remove from the heat.
- In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix in the breadcrumbs and cook over medium heat until crispy and toasted, two to four minutes.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven, pour the tomato-sauce mixture over the top, and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top, and finish with the breadcrumbs.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven for five minutes, and then serve.
Roasted Romaine Hearts
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 5 minutes • Cook time 10 minutes
- 1 tsp. plus 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large romaine hearts
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
- 1 tsp. anchovy paste
- 2 tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon wedge
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle it with a teaspoon of the oil.
- Wash the lettuce heads and pat dry. Slice each one in half lengthwise.
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic, anchovy paste, and remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil until well-blended.
- Arrange the lettuce on the baking sheet, cut side up. Use a pastry brush to cover the cut sides with the anchovy-garlic mixture, dividing it evenly among the pieces.
- Roast the romaine until it is wilted and the edges are beginning to brown, eight to 10 minutes.
- Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the Parmesan in a thin layer. Bake until the cheese has melted and is golden, three to five minutes, then remove from the oven. The cheese will become crisp as it cools.
- Crumble the cheese crisp over the top, add a squeeze of fresh lemon, and enjoy warm.
Photographer: Terry Brennan; Food Stylist: Betsy Nelson. This article originally appeared as “Head of the Table” in the September/October 2026 issue of Experience Life.
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