Cauliflower Power – 7 Ways To Make Cauliflower Into Comfort Foods!
Cauliflower seems to be taking over in the healthy eating world lately! Not only can it replace carbs in the form of rice, pizza crust, stuffing, mashed potatoes and chips, but now it is making buffalo “wings” and orange “chicken” a possibility for vegans!
Here are my top seven uses for cauliflower as a replacement for meat or gluten. All recipes call for about one large head or 2 small heads of cauliflower unless otherwise noted.
- Cauliflower Nachos: Preheat oven to 425°F. Chop cauliflower into horizontal, chip like pieces and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with coconut oil. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Roast until tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Optional: Top with your favorite vegan cheese (mine is GoVeggie) and return to oven until melted. Garnish with your favorite salsa, guacamole, olives and pickled jalapeños. Recipe modified from delish.com
- Buffalo Cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine 1 cup of water or soy milk, 1 cup coconut or any type of flour, and 2 tsp garlic powder in a bowl and stir. Coat cauliflower pieces with the mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. Combine 1 cup buffalo or hot sauce and 1 tbsp coconut oil in a small bowl. Pour the hot sauce mixture over the baked cauliflower and continue baking for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. So delicious.
- Orange Cauliflower: This one makes a special treat as it is fried – but at least you know you are not deprived of orange “chicken” as a vegan! First mix together 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 tsp orange zest, 1 tbsp Braggs liquid aminos or tamari, 4 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp cold water, and 1 tbsp rice flour into a small pot and whisk well. Allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer while stirring for about 3-4 minutes. Prepare the cauliflower batter by combining 1 cup any flour, garlic, pepper and salt with 1.5 cups cold water into a large bowl. Next place a large skillet over medium heat and add in about 1/2 of an inch of coconut oil. Place bite-size pieces of cauliflower into the batter then carefully place each piece into the hot oil. Cook the cauliflower for about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel then place into a large bowl and pour on the sauce and toss. Use any remaining sauce for your side of veggies!
The last 4 ways involve making a pureed cauliflower which starts with either a food processor or cheese grater. For the rice and stuffing, a cheese grater works optimally or just process the cauliflower very lightly so it is a rice-like consistency. For the pizza crust and mashed cauliflower, you can process the cauliflower into tiny pieces.
- Rice: Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat; add cauliflower ‘rice’, salt, and pepper. Cover skillet and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff ‘rice’ with a fork.
- Stuffing: Heat 4 tbsp coconut oil (I get Nutiva vegan buttery flavor from Whole Foods for variety) on a large skillet. Add finely chopped carrots (2 large), onions (1), and celery (2 stalks). Sauté until soft. Add chopped cauliflower(1 head) and 1 cup mushrooms, salt and pepper. Sauté 5 more minutes. Add parsley (1/4c), rosemary (2 tbsp) and sage (1 tbsp fresh or 1tsp ground) and ½ c vegetable broth. Cover and cook for 15 minutes and a healthy, vegan stuffing is served! Recipe modified from delish.com
- Mashed Cauliflower: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and then drain well and transfer cauliflower to a food processor. Add 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil and reserved water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and purée until smooth (or, mash cauliflower with a potato masher).
- Pizza Crust: Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the cauliflower “rice” (1 pound) into a large sauce pot, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Drain the liquid, then transfer the cooked cauliflower rice in a freezer-safe bowl. Place in the freezer to cool for 10 minutes. Mix together 2 tablespoons of ground chia or flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, to create a thick vegan “egg.” Set aside and allow the mixture to thicken. Remove the cooled cauliflower rice from the freezer and transfer it to the center of a thin dish towel.Squeeze the rice in the dish towel, removing all of the excess moisture. Place the drained cauliflower in a large bowl, then add in the vegan egg mixture, ½ cup almond meal, the additional tablespoon of ground flax or chia seeds, salt, ½ tsp garlic and ½ tsp dried oregano. Add more water as needed (up to 3 tablespoons) to mix the dough, but use as little as necessary to keep the crust crisp. Stir well, then press the mixture into the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and dry to the touch. For best texture, flip the entire pizza crust, then return it to the pan to bake for an additional 15 minutes. Once the crust is firm and dry, add your favorite pizza toppings and return to the oven briefly to let everything heat up, about 5-10 additional minutes! — Recipe from Detoxinista
**Written by Sara Hoffman, a vegan certified holistic health coach, fitness guru, and yogi. You can learn more about her at wellnesswithsara.com
