Cauliflower 3 Ways - Game Day Edition
Although things aren’t totally back to normal, sports fans have been rejoicing about the fact that our beloved games are back! We've been relishing game days even more lately and we're excited to whip up the delicious snacks that are part of our fall sports traditions. We have three cauliflower variation recipes that will seriously have you cheering. Honestly, you’ll forget that you’re eating your veggies!
We're kicking it off with this delicious and nutritious new take on a comfort game day classic - buffalo dip! This buffalo cauliflower dip is JAM PACKED with ooey gooey delicious flavor that is browned in the oven to crispy perfection. Serve this dish with the rest of your PIP produce and some tortilla chips and you have yourself an appetizer even meat eaters will root for!
Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Ingredients:
3.5 cups of PIP cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 8 oz package of cream and Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1 ⅓ cup nonfat greek yogurt or sour cream
1 cup of buffalo sauce
2 cups of shredded provolone and mozzarella cheese (1 cup each)
1 tsp. granulated garlic
⅓ cup blue cheese crumbles
2 scallions, sliced
1 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, chop the cauliflower into bite size pieces. Transfer to baking sheet. Spread cauliflower pieces out evenly. Spray or drizzle liberally with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, then take out and toss the cauliflower to allow it to brown and cook evenly. Place cauliflower back in the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender. Pro Tip - don’t overcook the cauliflower! You still want it to have somewhat of a bite to it! Makes the dip so much better.
Lower the oven temperature to 375 for baking the dip. Baking it is optional but sooo delicious.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and let it cool.
Combine the softened cream cheese, buffalo sauce, greek yogurt, granulated garlic, onion powder, and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheese, and a little more salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, mix ingredients together on low until combined. Gently fold in the roasted cauliflower.
Place dip mixture into non-stick oven safe baking dish. Spread the dip evenly in the pan so it cooks evenly.
Bake in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 20-25 minutes until bubbly. Remove the aluminum foil and either cook for another 5-10 minutes or broil under low heat (keep and eye on this!) until golden brown on top!
Once done, top with sliced scallions and blue cheese crumbles. Pair with your favorite veggies and chips and enjoy!
Next we're tackling two of the most delicious appetizers you could make on game day; Cauliflower wings with TWO sauce choices, Buffalo or Korean BBQ! You may be thinking, wait a second, cauliflower can be made into WINGS?! Well, yes, it sure can and here's how to make it a winner.
Cauliflower Wings with Buffalo or Korean BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
⅔ cup flour (I used all purpose but you can use GF variation!)
1 ¼-½ cup buttermilk (or any milk alternative)
1 large head of PIP cauliflower, cut into large floret pieces
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
salt and pepper to taste
Buffalo Wing Sauce
2 cups buffalo sauce
2-3 tbsp melted butter
Directions:
Combine ingredients and stir well.
Korean BBQ Sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
1-2 tbsp. sriracha
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
Juice from 1 lime
2 tbsp. soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced finely
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. cold water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a sauce pan except the cornstarch and water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl until the cornstarch dissolves. Pour into sauce mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until sauce is thick, 3-5 minutes. If your sauce becomes too thick, add it a little extra rice wine vinegar or lime juice!
Directions for Wings:
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees or standard oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the cauliflower into large floret pieces (like too big to eat on it’s own in one bite!)
Combine the flour, buttermilk, granulated garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together until a thin batter is formed. Depending on your flour, you may have to add additional milk, do this 1 tbsp at a time!
Dredge the cauliflower in the batter mixture and set on a baking rack (I put a baking sheet under mind to catch the excess batter).
Air fryer cooking instructions: cook cauliflower in smaller batches for 8-10 minutes. Brush or dip the cauliflower pieces into your preferred sauce to coat them liberally. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown. You can also stick a fork in one to see if it is tender! It is important to not overcook these bad boys, so they stay crunchy and hold their shape!
Standard oven cooking instructions: cook the cauliflower on a nonstick baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes or until they begin to darken and get golden brown. Remove from the oven and coat the cauliflower pieces with your sauce of choice! Add back into the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crispy!
Add additional sauce to the wings either by drizzling, brushing or dunking!
Serve alongside your favorite dipping sauce! Enjoy!!
