Category: Cauliflower

Comfort Food That Loves you Back: Cheesy Cauliflower + Potato Soup

12/3/2018

Comfort Food That Loves You Back:
Cheesy CaULiflower + Potato Soup

We love partnering with great plant-based food brands, and Daiya Foods is consistently making some of the best, most innovative products on the market. From yogurts to dressings to dairy-free frozen treats, they’re got us dairy-free babes covered. That’s why I was SO excited when I heard about their new and improved Shreds. The new cheeses are made with coconut oil but have the same incredible melt, stretch and taste as dairy-based cheese and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Plus, the cheeses contain NO titanium dioxide OR carrageenan and are still a great source of calcium!

I love that Daiya Foods is passionate about keeping their products plant-based for everyone - whether they’re dairy-intolerant, allergic, plant based, or simply living a healthy lifestyle. As someone with a lot of allergies and dietary restrictions, eating Daiya is a delightfully mindless indulgence. It's comfort food with a conscience! And it's available nearly everywhere these days - in over 25,000 grocery stores across the US and Canada, including Whole Foods, Kroger, Safeway and Publix and most natural retailers, too!

This cuffing season, my friends at Daiya are reminding us that our Comfort Foods Love Us Back! Between the Daiya Loves You Back video and their new Boxes of Love - how could you NOT feel loved?! They’ll also be giving away 150 “Boxes of Love,” the same talking box featured in the digital video, to fans who share the video on social media. Out of 150 winners, three will win a year’s worth of Daiya products.

Comfort foods are named that way because it DOES feel like they love us back! And during cuffing season (the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when everyone wants to be ‘cuffed’ to someone, or in a romantic relationship for the holidays) we have a real tendency to feel guilty about eating the foods that make us feel good. What about instead of looking for the perfect partner relationship this season, you looked for your perfect FOOD relationship instead? One that shows up for you whenever you need it, that never lets you down and feels like a warm hug as it fills your belly. Look, we all love comfort food. But often time, comfort foods aren’t very kind in return. So, whether it’s for allergies, health, environment, or something different entirely - its’s time people finally had comfort food that loves them back!

This cuffing season, cuff yourself to something that won’t break your heart before Valentine’s Day - and allow yourself to indulge a little! Splurge on creamy ice cream, gooey Cheezy Mac, or even this Cheezy Cauliflower + Potato Soup. It’s the perfect warm, comforting dish to remind you that you are loved this Holiday season! And even better - it whips up easily AND uses Daiya’s delicious Pepper Jack Shreds to add a super cheezy flavor that screams COMFORT FOOD. Scroll down for the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tables oil or butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, about 4 cups chopped
4-5 medium red potatoes, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup Daiya Pepper Jack Shreds
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS:
In a soup pot, over medium heat, melt your butter. Add in your garlic and onion and saute about 4-5 minutes, until onions start to turn glassy. Add in the carrots, cauliflower and potatoes and stir to combine. Add in the flour, stirring to coat the vegetables. Pour in the vegetable broth, Daiya Pepper Jack Shreds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, pepper and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are fork-tender. Toss the bay leaf in the compost.

Remove the soup from heat, blend half in a blender or with an immersion blender in a separate container and recombine so soup has a medium-chunky texture. Serve with bread, fresh parsley, and a Box of Love!

Serves 4-6. Leftovers save well for up to a week. Enjoy!

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Daiya has been an industry leader and one of the founding members of The Plant Based Foods Association, and their passion for celebrating delicious soy-, dairy-, and gluten-free foods keeps their products on the cutting edge of creating premium, plant-based alternatives. I love that they’re continuously expanding their line of better-for-you versions of comfort foods so we can keep on indulgin’ guilt-free! They’ve even recently expanded their line to include shelf-stable Cheezy Macs and Dairy-Free Dressings that are next-next-level good. Find them at your local retailer, and be sure to share the talking Boxes of Love video on YOUR social media for a chance to win a YEAR’S worth of Daiya products!!

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Buffalo Cauliflower Grinders

8/10/2016

5 Comments

Buffalo Cauliflower Grinders

There's a new Whole Foods that was recently built near my house, and I love it. I try not to go too often, but with on-tap kombucha and a killer hot bar, how's a girl supposed to say no?! The store also serves up an incredible, vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich that I based this recipe off of. Okay, I totally stole the idea. I'm Sorry Whole Foods! Mostly because I can't afford to buy $9 sandwiches every damn day, but also because it's a super easy, super yummy sandwich combo. So maybe it's more like #srynotsry. The hardest thing to find - and maybe the most important part of any good sandwich - is good chewy bread, which I eventually found in the form of ciabatta rolls. You could also use demi-baguettes, or just slap the ingredients between two slices of thick, chewy bread. It's all gonna taste delicious, because buffalo cauliflower is maybe the best sandwich filling ever. It may the best thing ever, if we're being honest. It's spicy, it's tangy, it's so gooooood. So without further ado, I suggest you get to scrollin' and get to preppin' because these scrumptious sandwiches aren't going to make themselves!

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon coconut oil
4 heaping cups cauliflower (about 1 large head cauliflower), chopped into bite-sized florets
1 cup hot sauce (we used Frank's Red Hot)
2 cups broccoli slaw (store bought OR just shredded broccoli, carrots + red cabbage)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch of salt
4 demi baguettes or ciabatta rolls
1/2 cup vegan chive cream cheese (we used Kite Hill)
green leaf lettuce, enough for 4 sandwiches

DIRECTIONS
Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Chop the cauliflower florets and toss them in a pan with hot sauce. Cook them together over medium heat, tossing to coat, for about 12-15 minutes or until softened.

While the cauliflower cooks, pour the broccoli slaw mixture into a mixing bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice and pinch of salt. Toss to coat everything evenly and set aside.

Slice the ciabatta rolls or baguettes and smear about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese onto one side. Wash and dry the lettuce and set it aside.

When the cauliflower is done and cools slightly, scoop it onto the rolls and top with the slaw, leaf lettuce, and other half of the bun. Serve immediately or wrap in paper and take 'em along on a picnic lunch. Either way, enjoy!

NOTES
Serves 4.

Leftover cauliflower stays good in the fridge for up to a week.

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BBQ Cauliflower Bites

2/6/2016

1 Comment

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

THE BIG GAME IS ALMOST HERE! And maybe like me you're like 'Uhhh cool.' But even if that's the case, we're both here because we like to eat delicious vegan food, which just so happens to be the only reason I tune into the Super Bowl - okay endless snacks AND the commercials. Whatever. The point here is that this gal LOVES snacking, and these BBQ Cauli Bites are the BEST snack! Spicy, tangy, sweet - as messy and delicious as the real thing, but without the meat or weird ingredients. These flavor-packed, guilt-free munchies will make you seem like the best cook at the party! Plus, cauliflower takes up way less room in your stomach than chicken would, aka MORE BEER.
Even if you're not into watching football this Sunday, you should still make these. 'Cause they are really fricken delicious. I made a pretty big batch last weekend and Alex and I finished it together, no problem. They don't need any dipping sauce since they're slathered in any BBQ sauce, but if you're into ranch dip, it might be a delicious addition. We also have a great recipe for crunchy coated cauliflower nuggets if that's more your style. Oh and this sriracha buffalo hummus? PERFECT with all that beer. Let's eat!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup all-purpose OR whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large head (about 6 cups) of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the unsweetened almond milk, flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

Dip the cauliflower florets into the mixture, coating evenly. Tap off any excess batter and place the florets onto the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

While the cauliflower bites cook, heat the BBQ sauce in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until heated through. When the cauliflower bites have cooked, pull them from the oven and using tongs, carefully dip each floret completely into the bbq sauce mixture and place it back onto the baking sheet. Continue this until all the florets have been dipped. Bake for 25-30 more minutes, again flipping about halfway through. When they’re finished, serve immediately!

NOTES
Leftovers don't reheat very well. These are best eaten fresh!

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Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower

2/10/2015

2 Comments

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower

As sexy as Jamie Oliver is (that accent- and he cooks!), I don't follow his Instagram for the selfies. His feed is regularly updated (by I'm sure not him) with delicious food photos and recipe inspiration, and often times he posts vegetarian & vegan recipes. I had seen his Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe as an meat-free alternative to a roast around the holidays and was totally intrigued. I already love cauliflower, and after I tried it- I fell in love. A whole head of cauliflower is rarely more than $2, and the rest of the ingredients I had on hand. Plus, its a pretty guilt-free, set-it-and-forget-it meal...which is what I'm all about. And while Jamie's recipe was delicious, mine is better.

I mean it! Okay, maybe I'm biased, but I think that using romanesco here steps the whole dish up a notch. Not only is it the most gorgeous and mathematically-pleasing vegetable, but it has such a great buttery flavor all on its own that it really adds depth and flavor to a pretty simple dish. We love smoked paprika, and I think the lemon and sherry round out the spicy, smoky flavors nicely. Its an easy dish to make on a busy night as a main dish or side, and is super customizable. Don't have smoked paprika? Try cumin & cayenne or curry & turmeric! Either way, run down to the farmers market and get a head of this gorgeous cauliflower while its still in season- you won't regret it.

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INGREDIENTS
1 large head romanesco cauliflower
1/4 cup liquid coconut or olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 whole lemon (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim the washed cauliflower leaves and cut the stem, if necessary, so that cauliflower stands upright in a dutch oven or heavy cast-iron pan (with a lid). Place the cauliflower in the pan, and use a sharp knife to carve a 1 in. deep X into the top of the cauliflower.
In a small bowl, combine oil with diced onions, minced garlic, lemon juice, spices, salt & pepper. Pour over the cauliflower, slightly pulling the X apart so the oil can seep into the middle. Try to evenly coat the cauliflower (no need to flip it over). Pour sherry lightly over the whole thing, then cover the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cauliflower is fork-tender, then remove the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro or parsley. Serves 4, leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated for up to a week. Enjoy!

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Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets

3/17/2014

21 Comments

Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets

Exciting news! (I mean, beside the fact that you're about to make your own deliciously crunchy cauliflower nuggets.) I got the job I've been so hoping to hear back from at the non-profit, and I'm so excited about it! So excited, in fact, that I demanded we celebrate by making nuggets and fries for dinner. Alex happily obliged. Now the nuggets might be gone but the excitement is STILL HERE! I feel like this move is to a position that is much more closely aligned with the work I'd like to spend the rest of my life doing, and again, I'm PUMPED! So, go me. Enough of that though...how 'bout those nuggets?
Crispy, perfectly golden, fried cauliflower nuggets will change the future of nuggets as we know it. Alex claimed they were better than any chicken nugget he had ever had (duh!), and loved the slight crunch and the fact that he didn't feel like crap after eating them. I love all things fried (in moderation, of course), and was happy to have something to slather in ketchup- my guilty pleasure. Now I know frying is bad and we shouldn't do it, but if we're gonna splurge here, at least you're frying up a vegetable, right? And 2014 has been named the Year of the Cauliflower- so let's do this thing!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups cauliflower florets (about 1/2 head of cauliflower)
1/4 cup high heat oil, for frying (coconut, grapeseed, and avocado oils are all great high-heat options)

Flax Wash:
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup water

Flour Mix:
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (gluten-free or regular)
1/4 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon organic sugar
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, make flax wash by mixing ground flax, almond meal, and water. Set aside. Next, mix together in a medium-sized mixing bowl the bread crumbs, almond meal, sugar, nutritional yeast, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and cayenne. This mixture will become your breading.
Heat 1/4 cup oil n a large frying pan over medium heat. Dip cauliflower florets into the flax wash mixture, coating lightly but evenly. Next, dip cauliflower into the flour mixture and coat completely. Drop coated cauliflower nuggets into the heated oil, and cook until golden and crunchy, then flip and repeat until the nugget is evenly fried, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Using tongs or a spatula, move cooked nuggets to a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil, let cool several minutes, then enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce! Best if eaten immediately. Uneaten nuggets can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until warm. Enjoy!
**Not much for fried foods? You can try baking these at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won't be nearly as crunchy and crispy, but probably much healthier. Do what you gotta do!

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Cauliflower Queso

2/7/2014

8 Comments

Cauliflower Queso

More cauliflower? YES!! Because its still the Year of the Cauliflower (all year long!), and I had a serious cheeze craving. And who doesn't love a good batch of vegan nachos, anyway? This deliciously cheezy sauce started as an attempt to use up the rest of the cauliflower left over after the Kung Pao Cauliflower recipe and turned into 2 more heads of cauliflower worth of recipe testing, but I am SO EXCITED to share this one with you. In my (clearly humble) opinion, this is the BEST knock-off queso I have EVER eaten. Its spicy, full of flavor, and tastes like the real thing! Its even mimics the texture almost exactly, without any weird stabilizers. Plus, its a nacho topper you can feel pretty good about, being that its made from cauliflower. But trust me, if you don't tell anyone, they would never know. Top it with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or cilantro and serve on homemade nachos, burritos, and enchiladas. Its great warmed up but pretty darn good straight out of the fridge, too!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 heaping cups cauliflower florets (about 1/2 head of cauliflower)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1-12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white miso (or any color, but I prefer the tanginess of a lighter, sweeter miso)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a medium sized frying pan, begin to melt the tablespoon of coconut oil. Add in the cauliflower, garlic, and chopped onions. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally and cook until onions turn glassy and cauliflower begins to brown, about 8-12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to slightly cool.
While the veggies are cooling, pull out a high speed blender or food processor (we used our Vitamix), and toss in all the other ingredients- from the roasted red peppers to the salt. Mix them on high for about a minute, just combining them. Add in slightly cooled veggies and blend or process on high for 20 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the strength of your machine. You want everything to be completely blended, so you're left with a pourable, dippable queso cheeze. Once finished, move the queso to a bowl and serve with chips or over your favorite Mexican dishes.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze. To reheat, pour into a saucepan and cook on low, stirring frequently, until heated through. Makes 4(ish) cups.

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Kung Pao Cauliflower

2/4/2014

10 Comments

Kung Pao Cauliflower

As I'm sure you've heard, 2014 is shaping up to be the 'Year of the Cauliflower'- which basically means its the trendy veggie this year, as decided by the blogosphere. I'm sure we'll see some cauliflower craziness, but I couldn't not jump on this train, because I am a serious fan of this member of the cabbage family. (Did anyone catch last weeks Parks and Rec? Cauliflower is more than just a dead tree, people.)
I've been working with a cauliflower buffalo wings recipe intermittently since summer, but haven't made one worth sharing yet. I have, however, learned a lot about cooking and eating cauliflower. For instance, I like a little crunch to my tiny trees, and prefer them without a breading so I can still taste the cauliflower itself. After a few solid tries, we got this recipe perfect. I measure my recipe success by meal leftovers, and they were none to be found after we whipped this one up. I'm so excited about this recipe because its healthy, crazy rich in flavor, and makes a great shared meal (or leftovers!).

Instructions:
KUNG PAO SAUCE:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup braggs liquid amoinos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon wasabi powder (optional)
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon coconut oil

VEGGIES:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, juilienned
1 bell pepper, chopped OR about 1/2 cup julienned peppers
1/2 large head cauliflower (about two cups of florets)

Directions:
Cook cauliflower & garlic together in a wok or large frying pan on medium-high heat until cauliflower is slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add onions & peppers and sauteé another 3 minutes, until onions are just becoming glassy. Add sauce and cook until sauce thickens, another 3-5 minutes or so. Remove from heat, serve over brown rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions, and enjoy! Serves 2, saves well in the fridge for up to a week.

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Comfort Food That Loves you Back: Cheesy Cauliflower + Potato Soup

Comfort Food That Loves You Back:
Cheesy CaULiflower + Potato Soup

Buffalo Cauliflower Grinders

Buffalo Cauliflower Grinders

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower

Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets

Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets

Cauliflower Queso

Cauliflower Queso

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Kung Pao Cauliflower

tags

G O O D S A I N T

S T A Y F R E S H + S U B S C R I B E

Comfort Food That Loves you Back: Cheesy Cauliflower + Potato Soup

Comfort Food That Loves You Back: Cheesy CaULiflower + Potato Soup

Buffalo Cauliflower Grinders

Buffalo Cauliflower Grinders

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower

Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets

Crispy Cauliflower Nuggets

Cauliflower Queso

Cauliflower Queso

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Kung Pao Cauliflower

tags

G O O D S A I N T

S T A Y F R E S H + S U B S C R I B E

Comfort Food That Loves You Back:
Cheesy CaULiflower + Potato Soup