Curcuma, Tumeric, call it what you like. They both have curcumin as the main active ingredient and apparently this golden spice has great health attributes. A commonly used Ayurvedic spice, not only does it add a vibrant color to your dish and a nuance to your palate when added in cooking but we can benefit from it too. Apparently it promotes digestion and supports the immune system and is a a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. That's just a short list of benefits.

I love adding this spice to my pasta, rice, and other foods when I feel it's appropriate in taste because everything it touches turns golden in color. It's the same with beets and the deep blood violet color it rubs off on food turning everything pink-like: beetroot hummus dip and beetroot crackers.

Adding some tumeric to my finely chopped up cauliflower and sautéeing it in some fine fatty butter with garlic is one of my favorite ways to eat cauliflower. This is one of best ways to cook up a head of cauliflower. You can add it as a topping over salads, rice, pasta, and serve it as a side dish. My kids are finicky about this vegetable but when it's in a pasta salad there's no doubt about it.

Curcuma Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS//Serves 6

• 1 head cauliflower, finely chopped or grated
• 30 grams butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon curcuma (tumeric) powder
• salt, adjusted to taste
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet over medium to high heat, melt your butter and then add the garlic and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds.

Then sauté the cauliflower with garlice in the butter for about five minutes. Be careful not to over cook as it will turn soft. I like the cauliflower to be slightly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. So keep tasting and cooking it until you find the texture you like.

Add the curcuma, salt, parsley, and give it a quick stir. It's ready to be served.

The parsnip seems to be a star vegetable this winter. It just had a portrait write-up about it in the French journal Libération with a soup recipe included by Alain Ducasse.

Parsnip is the je ne sais quoi in soups and it's what adds that special something to the stock of the pot-au-feu. In the ancient times, the Roman Emperor Tiberius imported this vegetable from Germania and it was used to strike the bell in the bell tower. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the vegetables cultivated by the monasteries. It was overshadowed by the growing popularity of the potatoes in the 18th century and has just finally made its comeback to the dining room table.

Cauliflower Parsnip Purée

INGREDIENTS//Serves 6

• 1 Parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 500 grams cauliflower, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roasted
• 2 dollops crème fraîche
• 30 grams butter
• 1/2 bunch chives

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot of water add some coarse sea salt and the parsnip and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer.

Cook for 15 minutes or until you can stab a fork through the parsnips.

Add the cauliflower and cook until tender.

Pour your parsnips and cauliflower into a colander and drain.

Transfer it to a large mixing bowl (if mashing by hand) otherwise transfer into a food processor.

Combine the rest of the ingredients, garlic and crème fraîche.

Mash with a fork or blend it all together in your food processor. Adjust accordingly with some coarse sea salt.

Garnish with some chopped chives.