5 Healthy Snacks With Cauliflower Which Are Irresistible; Guest post by Olivia Rose

A few months ago, I had invited guest posts and many people took up my offer and were featured here on Su's Healthy Living. One of the bloggers who approached me with a guest post is Olivia Rose. We have been corresponding back and forth for sometime now. I have been busy or dragging my feet.. but finally after much perseverance she is here today. Here is a bit more about her: Olivia Rose is a food blogger  who likes trying new exciting food flavors and textures. Like me she is a mother of 2 wonderful kids. She shares her recipes on MyKingCook so that other mothers like us can get delicious food ideas for their kids. 

Today, she is bringing us 5 Healthy Snacks With Cauliflower Which Are Irresistible. Do check them out! I bet you will fall in love with cauliflower just the way I always have been! Do check her blog for other delicious recipes!

As per Olivia Rose: "All images were paid images from Stock, so that we have full permission for all and don't need credit source."

When it comes to healthy eating, going green is always a preferable option to choose. These super and versatile vegetable is a trending choice now a day. Cauliflower is one among the many. Economical with a bunch of necessary vitamins and antioxidants fiber and potassium, this can be your perfect meal choice. It can be used both as a fresh vegetable as well as freezing it after vacuum sealed. Let’s explore to find a yummy yet healthiest food of the planet. We have tried to collect the best recipes to give you an appetizing meal at an affordable cost.

1 - Hot Wings Cauliflower

We all are in love with hot wings. Have you ever tried cauliflower hot wings, if not we are here to share our recipe with you?

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 36

 Ingredients

•    1 medium head cauliflower,

•    1/2 cup Chickpea flour

•    2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs

•   ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

•    1/2 cup Low-fat buttermilk

•    3 tablespoons hot sauce

•    Salt and Pepper: Add to your taste buds

Directions

•    Pre-heat the oven to 450°.

•    Spray cooking spray to your baking dish

•    Cut the cauliflower head into small pieces

•    Mix 1 tablespoon hot sauce and buttermilk and whisk it well.

•    Add flour, bread crumbs, garlic, and salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.

•    Mix each cauliflower floret in buttermilk mixture and put it into baking dish

•    Bake for 30 minutes until crispy.

•    Add remaining sauce and bake it again for 3 minutes.

•    Serve sizzling hot with cheese dressing.

2 - Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed potatoes are a traditional side dish, we all love to dine. If you have not tried mashed cauliflower, you must give it a chance to enrich your traditional mashed potatoes taste. This perfect mash recipe can be eaten with Greek yogurt or low-fat cream cheese.

Prep Time: 10 mins     

Cook Time: 10 mins    

Total time: 20 mins

Serves:10

Ingredients

•    4 cauliflower florets

•    40-gram cream cheese

•    Salt and black pepper

•    Pinch of Grated nutmeg

•    1 tablespoon butter

•    1 bulb of garlic (finely chopped)

•    1 tablespoon green onion to enhance taste

Directions

•    Boil water in a medium sized pan for glass top stove with some added salt.

•    Put the florets in it and boil for 8-10 minutes

•    Drain cauliflower, and put them again in pot with lid on (without heat) for 2-3 minutes

•    Mix cheese, salt, garlic, butter and pepper to the cauliflower.

•    Use the potato masher to smash the cauliflowers.

•    Add nutmeg.

•    Mix well and serve with chopped green onions.

3 - Cauliflower Fritters

Fritters show how much we love our food. Let’s try our cauliflower fritters recipe instead of traditional potatoes fritters.

Prep Time: 10 mins    

Cook Time: 6-7 Mins    

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

•    3 cups cauliflower florets (minced through food processor)

•    3 cups broccoli

•    ½ cup all-purpose flour

•    3 Eggs

•    1 teaspoon baking powder

•    0.7-ounce salad Italian dressing

•    ½ cup oil for frying

Directions

•    Minced the cauliflower florets and broccoli in a food processor.

•    Add flour, Italian dressing, baking powder, and eggs to mixture.

•    Heat oil on medium heat

•    Put the cauliflower processed mixture to preheated oil through heaping tablespoons

•    Fry until golden brown on both sides and serve hot

4 - Cauliflowers Breadsticks with Cheese

Let me share with you another winner cauliflower recipe It is simple, it is gluten free, and it serves your taste buds well.

Prep Time: 10 min    

Cook time: 40 min     

Total Time: 50 min

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

•    1 large cupped cauliflower (approx 4 cups minced)

•    4 eggs

•    3 tablespoon oregano

•    4 cup mozzarella cheese

•    4 garlic cloves minced properly

•    Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

•    Preheat oven to 425 F degrees

•    Prepare pizza dishes

•    Cauliflower florets (minced through food processor until they resemble rice)

•    Microwave it for 10 minutes.

•    Add eggs, salt, pepper and 2 cup cheese and spices to it.

•    Put the mixture it into pizza dish and bake it for 25 minutes until golden

•    Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bake it again for 5 minutes

•     Sliced into rectangular sticks and serve hot

You can also add smoked paprika to add extra taste.

5 - Cauliflower Tots

The cauliflowers diapers are the yummiest and the healthiest.

Prep Time: 10 mins    

Cook time: 20 mins    

Total time: 30 mins

Serves:  30-40 tots

Ingredients

•    2 cups cauliflower florets

•    1 egg

•    ½ cup onion

•    ¼ cup minced bell pepper

•    ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese.

•    1/4 cup parmesan cheese

•    ¼ cup breadcrumbs

•    ¼ minced parsley

•    Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

•    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

•    Spray the cooking pan with cooking spray

•    Roughly chop the cauliflower head

•    Steam it for 4-5 minutes until soft and then drain it well

•    Pulse in food processor until turns into fine pieces

•    Combine all other ingredients to the mixture

•    Take a tablespoon of mixture into your hands and shape it into small tots.

•    Put the tots in the pan and bake it for 20 minutes until golden brown.

•    Serve sizzling hot

Enjoy! 

I am sharing this post with all my dear friends at Throwback Thursday #56,  Fiesta Friday #139 and Saucy Saturday#64! Angie's co-hosts this week are Antonia @ Zoale and Sandhya @ Indfused.

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Vegetarian Buffalo "Wings" ( can be vegan); Meatless Monday.

Super Bowl is in two weeks with the Denver Broncos facing the Carolina Panthers. This also means that there will be lot of Super Bowl parties! Usually at these parties there is tons of junk food laid out, the most popular being chicken wings!!! All kinds of chicken wings! But not everyone eats chicken wings. Many people are vegetarian for various reasons. Some for religious reasons while others  in pursuit of better health. Regardless, being vegetarian does not mean that they do not enjoy food. Therefore, it is important that there are vegetarian options at all gatherings, parties. Today, I am sharing with you the recipe for the vegetarian version of Buffalo Wings. Yes, you heard right, Buffalo Wings. I guarantee you that once you try this, you will make it again and again. The original recipe is from PETA! Even I didn't know that they had recipes too. I improvised on the recipe that I saw here.  Cauliflower is used to make these "wings".

The improvisations I made were with the goal of reducing calories. Did you know that a lot of butter is used in chicken wings?? The milder the buffalo wings, the higher it is in calories! This is primarily because they use butter to lessen the impact of the hot sauce. The recipe I followed, instructed to toss the wings in the sauce. Instead, I chose to brush them with sauce. This significantly lowered the calories. I also reduced the calories in the blue-cheese dressing by mixing it with Greek yogurt. It was delicious!

I also didn't have garlic powder alone, so mixed adobo seasoning in the mix.
This is a very easy recipe to make and does not take long, 30-40 minutes at the most!

I brought the vegetarian wings to my neighbor and to my colleagues at work. Everyone loved it! I was thrilled.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 1 small head
Flour: 3/4 cup
Garlic powder: 1 tsp ( I used Adobo seasoning instead).
Buttermilk: 1 cup
( for vegans, use same amount of soy/almond milk ).

For the sauce:

Hot sauce: 1/2 cup
Butter: 1/2 cup ( alternatives like margarine, Country Crock or olive oil may be used for vegan options)
Salt: 1/8 tsp ( skip if you used Adobo seasoning with the flour)
White Vinegar: 1/2 tsp

To serve:

Blue-Cheese dressing: 1/2 cup ( use vegan cheese if vegan).
Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup ( use vegan yogurt like SILK,  for vegan option)
Celery sticks : 4-5 celery stalks, cut into 5 inch pieces.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450 deg F.

Cut the  cauliflower head into bite-size pieces. Wash, drain completely and keep aside.

Mix together the flour, buttermilk, garlic powder and keep aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and keep ready.

Dip each cauliflower piece in the flour-buttermilk mixture and place it up on the baking sheet. Do this with all the available cauliflower.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 450 deg F for 20 mins.

While the cauliflower is baking,  prepare the sauce and dip.

To prepare the sauce:

Mix together the hot sauce, butter( or margarine or oil), vinegar and salt and bring it to a gentle boil.

For the dip:

Mix equal proportions of Greek yogurt and blue cheese. Keep aside.

Putting the wings together:

Once the cauliflower pieces are baked, take them out, brush them thoroughly with the "Buffalo sauce". Place the wings in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Brush them again with Buffalo sauce of needed.

Serve them hot with blue cheese dip and celery.

I am bringing this to Throwback Thursday # 23, Fiesta Friday # 104 and Saucy Saturdays. Angie's co-hosts this week are Mila @ milkandbun and Hilda @ Along The Grapevine.

Cooking made easy:

Use warm water with a pinch of salt to soak the cauliflower pieces for a few minutes. Drain it completely and pat the pieces dry with a paper towel before dipping it in the flour.

Tip for healthy living:

Cruciferous vegetables are known or their health benefits. Cauliflower is one of them that contains a plethora of nutrients that includes vitamins, minerals, antioxidants  and phytochemicals. Some of the major health benefits of cauliflower include it's anti-inflammatory properties, detoxification of the body, boosting brain health due to the presence of choline, boosting of heart health due to the presence of sulforaphane and most importantly, cancer-fighting properties.  So, eat more of the cauliflower! 

References:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/22/cauliflower-health-benefits.aspx
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282844.php
http://www.webmd.com/diet/cauliflower-health-boost

Food for thought:

Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains. Marilyn French

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Cauliflower Sukka( Cauliflower cooked with spices and coconut); Meatless Monday

I love cauliflower in any form. I could eat it roasted, steamed, broiled, grilled, stir-fried, curried.. You name it, I like it! I am always looking for news innovative ways to cook it. You would already have seen cauliflower mussalum and cauliflower pepper fry. Here is another dish that is easy to make and came out very nice. This dish was inspired by  who posted a recipe called broccoli sukka on KCCB, a foodie group that I am a member of in Facebook. I found the recipe interesting. However I could not imagine using the broccoli for that purpose as my kids and I like broccoli best steamed or stir-fried. We don't like it over-cooked. So, the closest vegetable that I thought would suit this recipe was cauliflower. I tried it and liked it. It is very simple and easy to make without too many spices. Perfect for a week night dinner.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Cauliflower : one small head
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Jeera ( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp
Onion: 1 medium, chopped fine
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Tomato: 1 medium, chopped.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp( can adjust according to individual taste)
Asofoetida ( hing):a pinch if using the powder, 1/4 tsp if using the solution.
Freshly grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Salt: to taste

Method:

Boil  4-5 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Turn off the stove .

Separate the cauliflower florets, wash them and add them to the pot with warm water.Keep it in warm water for 5 mins. Then drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a sauté pan/kadai. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add cumin seeds and curry leaves.

Add the ginger garlic paste and onions and sauté until the onions turn slightly golden brown.

Now add haldi powder, chilli powder, tomatoes, hing and sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes are cooked.

Add the cauliflower florets, 1/2 cup of water & salt. Cover and cook until the cauliflower has reached the desired tenderness. 

Add freshly grated coconut and mix well.Cook for a minute.

Serve hot with rice, roti or bread.

Enjoy.

Cooking made easy:

This recipe can also be cooked using other vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, turnip , radish etc.

Tip for healthy living:

While cruciferous vegetables can be gassy, they are also very healthy. 

Food for thought:

Life is not a problem to be solved,but a reality to be experienced. Soren Kiekegaard

Gobhi Manchurian ( Cauliflower Manchurian) made healthy!

Gobhi manchurian is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese dish. Rarely would there be an Indian who is not familiar with Gobhi manchurian. It is often served as a vegetarian option in appetizers/starters and also as a side-dish. Like most tasty dishes, this one packs a lot of calories, primarily due to the fact that the cauliflower florets are fried and then again sautéed in oil!  I too love this dish, but refrain from making it often due to the high oil content. I have pondered for long on ways to make it gluten-free and healthy. I once put the florets in corn flour batter and baked it and made it but was not happy with the results. I tried a combination of corn flour and rice flour and baked it.. Didn't work either. The batter would flatten one side of the florets that stayed on the parchment paper and didn't give a nice appearance.

Recently, an idea struck me when I was making Butternut squash fries! How about I use the technique of putting the florets in a ziplock bag and adding corn flour to it and then baking it?? Well, guess what?? I tried it and the florets baked beautifully to the desired consistency. I however had blanched the florets in the microwave to reduce the cooking ( baking) time. I am happy that I have finally found a method to make the Manchurian without too much oil while maintaining the same taste.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 1 medium head, separated into florets.
Water: 4 quarts for blanching the cauliflower.

For the cauliflower coating:
Corn flour: 2 tbsp
All purpose flour: 1 tbsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Ginger garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp

For the sauce:
Cooking oil: 1 tbsp
Onion: 1 medium, chopped fine
Garlic: 4-6 cloves, chopped fine
Ginger: 1 inch piece, chopped fine
Green chillies: 4-6, slit
Scallions: 2-3, chopped fine, white and green parts kept separate.
Soy sauce: 2 tbsp
Tomato sauce: 2 tbsp
Chilli sauce: 1 tsp ( optional)
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1/4 tsp

Method:

Boil 4 quarts water with 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan. Turn off the flame. Add the cauliflower florets to the water. Let it sit for 5mins. Remove them and dry the florets completely using paper towels.

Take the florets in a microwave-safe bowl and steam them for 4-5 mins.
Let it cool down.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep ready.

Once the cauliflower florets have cooled down, add them to a ziplock/ plastic bag. Add cornflour, all purpose flour( maida), red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce  and mix well by shaking the bag.

Arrange the florets on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake them for 20-30 minutes, turning them once half-way through.

The florets should be nice and crisp ( not burnt).

While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the sauce to go with it.

Heat a  wok/skillet/ frying pan on high flame.

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add the chopped garlic, sauté for few seconds, add chopped ginger, sauté for few seconds. Add in the chopped onions and sauté until the onions turn transparent. Add the green chillies.

 

Add in the sauces. 

Add the baked cauliflower florets and mix until well blended.

Serve hot! Can be served as a starter or as a side dish with rice/bread/roti.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Angie's Fiesta Friday! Suzanne@apuginthekitchen and Sue@birgerbird are co-hosts this weekend.

Cooking made easy:

To get restaurant style taste to Chinese-style cooking, it is essential to use a iron wok. Don't use any other metal. Also cook on high flame. Heat the wok first. Once it is hot enough, add in the oil. If you add the oil first, then the oil will be too hot and the garlic will turn brown! Also, all cooking should be done at high heat. You do not need to cook for long while cooking on high heat. Sauté everything just for a few seconds.

Tip for healthy living:

While using oil for cooking at high heat, use oils that don't degrade upon heating at high temperatures. Examples for such oils would be coconut oil, sesame oil, mustard oil and peanut oil. These oils can sustain high temperatures and don't generate free radicals upon heating.
References:

Food for thought:

Start by doing what's necessary ; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Francis of Assisi

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