Super-Smart Snacks for Super Bowl Munchies
Cauliflower Buffalo Bites
It’s almost Super Bowl time, so if you are in the market for a healthy alternative snack, this vegan version of buffalo wings wins everyone over—meat-eaters and non! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce or try them with our Celery Leaf Walnut Pesto (see recipe below).
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond or soy)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free rice flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon non-dairy buttery spread (such as Earth Balance)
1 cup Frank’s red hot sauce
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Link a baking sheet with parchment paper. (NOTE: Do not use a silpat liner or just a greased baking sheet. The parchment is necessary to keep the batter on the florets).
2. Cut cauliflower into florets. In a large bowl, combine milk, water, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. (NOTE: If you’re using rice flour, you may need to add a little more liquid to get the batter to the right consistency. The batter should be thick enough to stick to the florets but still thin enough to drip.)
3. Dip each floret into the mixture to coat evenly. Remove excess batter by tapping the floret a couple of times again the side of the bowl.
4. Lay coated florets on parchment lined baking sheet without overcrowding them.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown, flipping the florets halfway through baking time.
6. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter spread and hot sauce. Heat just until melted, stir and set aside.
7. Remove cauliflower from oven and place in a large clean bowl. Pour hot sauce mixture over florets and toss gently until coated. Spread all the florets on the same parchment-lined baking sheet again. Return to oven and bake for another 25 minutes, flipping the florets halfway through baking time.
Celery Leaf Walnut Pesto
This celery leaf walnut pesto sauce wonderfully embraces the concept of repurposed food waste. Highlighting leftover celery leaves, the sauce also incorporates zesty lemon with hints of nuttiness.
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup grated Parmesan
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper, additional walnuts and/or grated Parmesan; optional
Instructions
1. Add celery leaves, garlic, salt, walnuts, parmesan and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Process to combine. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until very smooth.
2. Serve in a bowl as a dipping sauce for Cauliflower Buffalo Bites, or use as a sauce for pizza or flatbread or in any recipe that calls for pesto.
PER SERVING (2 tablespoons): 196 cal, 19g fat (11g mono, 5g poly, 3g sat), 5mg chol, 262mg sodium, 3g carb (1g fi ber, 0g sugars), 3g protein
SOURCE: These recipes are posted by permission Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years.
