Vegetables used to be the very first thing I ate from my dinner plate because I wanted to get them over with as soon as possible. But why should veggies have to be treated like the side-kicks of a meal?
Cauliflower is actually extremely versatile. Think of it as your plain white tee. You can dress it up or down, making it the ultimate ingredient to create dishes that can satisfy any craving. Bonus: most of these recipes are vegan or can easily be made vegan with a few basic substitutions.
1. Energizing Breakfast Bowl
Photo courtesy of unconventionalbaker.com
It might sound absolutely insane to have a vegetable for breakfast, but treat it as a smoothie bowl and you’ll hardly notice the difference. Plus, just 1 cup of steamed cauliflower already meets half of your daily Omega-3 fatty acids requirements and provides nearly 100% of your daily Vitamin C intake, thus making this brekkie bowl the perfect brain food to get you through those dreaded back-to-back lectures.
2. Buffalo Bites
Photo courtesy of hotforfoodblog.com
“I can’t believe it’s not chicken!” These vegan bad boys bring back the same nostalgia of digging into a basket of buffalo bites, but with a fraction of the calories and none of the cruelty. If you’re like me and following recipes results in an “Oh crap, I forgot the salt” moment, save yourself some shame and check out the video tutorial for this dish. If you’re too lazy to go through the process of baking and coating, check out this couch-potato-friendly buffalo cauliflower dip.
#SpoonTip: If you can get your hands on Gochujang (Korean hot chili paste), mix it with ketchup and water in a 3:3:1 ratio as a delicious substitute instead of Frank’s hot sauce. You’re welcome.
3. Mashed No-tatoes
Photo courtesy of ifoodreal.com
No potatoes were harmed in this process. You’ll never be able to tell the difference between this cauliflower mash and the real deal.
4. Creamy Alfredo Pasta
Photo courtesy of thehealthyfamilyandhome.com
Ditch those processed sauces filled with heavy cream, fats, GMO’s, and sodium, and swap in this dreamy alfredo sauce made of cauliflower, nut milk, and garlic. Toss your ingredients in a blender and BOOM – a vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free sauce that can fool any pasta enthusiast.
5. Low Carb Pizza
Photo courtesy of theluckypennyblog.com
Cauliflower + egg + cheese = Crust? Better believe it. This pizza crust defies all laws and disproves the theory that pizza must be a cheat meal. You’ve probably seen this trending all over Pinterest and Buzzfeed, but there’s a good reason why this recipe is shared time and time again. Try this out and see for yourself if it’s worth the hype.
6. Grain-Free Fried “Rice”
Photo courtesy of pinchofyum.com
Too lazy to wait 40 minutes for your rice to cook? No problem, just throw a head (of cauliflower) on the chopping block and you can have a pan full of fried “rice” in just 10 minutes. Feel free to toss in any leftover veggies and add a splash of soy sauce to bring out your inner PF Chang.
7. No-Bake Cake
Photo courtesy of unconventionalbaker.com
Damn. This is too beautiful for words. No one would ever guess that this sinful treat is made from an innocent blend of cauliflower and coconut cream. Wow your friends and family at the next potluck or birthday party with this fool-proof Cherry Coconut “Ice Cream” Cake! Not a fan of pink? No worries – here’s a velvety smooth chocolate version that’ll have your guests swooning.
8. Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Photo courtesy of feastingonfruit.com
Sure, avocado chocolate pudding is a godsend from nature, but for anyone who’s daring enough to try something more adventurous, whip up some of this ingenious chocolate pudding. Fruit acts as the perfect, healthy sweetener.
9. White Chocolate Mousse Fruit Dip
Photo courtesy of unconventionalbaker.com
Now this is what heaven in a bowl looks like. Serve with fresh fruit, layer in a parfait, blend with banana to make a bananas foster filling, or plop it all in a serving bowl. There really is no wrong way to eat this light-but-satisfying whipped concoction. Best of all, 90% of it is made from steamed cauliflower.
10. Chocolate Buttercream Cake
Photo courtesy of 84thand3rd.com
Gotta save the best for last. Now you can have your cake and eat it too – guilt-free. A healthy blend of avocado, cauliflower, and cocoa powder creates this velvety “buttercream.” And yes, it is perfectly acceptable to eat by the spoonful.