Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

These cauliflower wings are lightly coated on the outside (take your pick of almond flour or corn meal) to get them super crispy. Once they're golden and looking super scrumptious, they get blanketed in buffalo sauce, and cooked just a bit longer--enough to make them sizzle but still be super saucy. Extra sauce optional, but recommended. 

While I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, I love seeing these meat-free "wings" on the table at an football viewing party. For one, it's always nice to have a side of veggies at parties to balance out the nachos and queso dip. (Nachos and queso dip are delicious OF COURSE, but I like some veggies, too, to avoid that, UGH why did I only eat cheese feeling later).

I'd even serve these cauliflower wings next to a plate of these Chipotle BBQ Chicken Wings or Honey Sesame Chicken Wings. Variety is always welcome in this household. …And, so is cauliflower. 

Something else about cauliflower wings? Since cauliflower is a pretty mellow vegetables, whatever sauce you use — in this case, buffalo sauce - SHINES. It’s the primary flavor, and is bold. Which, if you like wings, you’ll like.

Wings are of course a typical game-watching food, but our household doesn't so much raise a finger for football... on the rare occasion we watch a game, it's because it's a good excuse to have friends over. But can I tell you something? I don't even know who is playing this weekend. Forgive me. 

But hey, no one said you had to watch football to enjoy wings. I know we'll be watching the Olympics all next month, and that definitely warrants a good spread of snacks. 

And even when there's nothing to watch, one doesn't have to look far to find a reason to make wings. Our house is the go-to house for hosting board game nights among friends, and cauliflower wings (or chicken wings) are really good game-playing food. Just have plenty of napkins on hand, otherwise your game pieces will end up sticky with sauce. 

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Published January 23, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4  teaspoon ground paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Heaping 1/2 cup almond flour or corn meal

For the sauce: 
• 1/2 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• For serving: blue cheese dressing, extra Franks Buffalo Sauce, & minced cilantro for garnish 

Directions:

1. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. (affiliate link!). Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Rinse the cauliflower, and then remove the leaves and stem, cutting the florets into bite-sized pieces.
3. In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the milk, coconut flour, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Add cauliflower to bowl, and use a spatula to turn the cauliflower in the batter until each piece is coated. Add the almond flour or corn meal to the bowl, and toss until each piece of cauliflower is coated.
4. Spread cauliflower out on sheet pan, with space between each floret, and bake for 20-23 minutes. Cauliflower should be softened through but not yet browning.
5. While the cauliflower is cooking, make the sauce: melt the coconut oil in a bowl, and then add the Franks buffalo sauce. Whisk until combined. (P.S., you can also use a pre-made sauce, like Wing Time Buffalo Sauce, or mix it up -- I often do half the batch in Trader Joe's Sriracha BBQ Sauce!)
6. Working in batches, place 1/4 of the florets in the bowl with the sauce. Toss (or stir with a spatula) until the florets are coated in sauce, and then return cauliflower to the sheet pan. Repeat until all of the cauliflower is coated.
7. Place cauliflower back in oven, and bake for 10 more minutes. (Optional: if you would like your cauliflower even browner on the edges, you can roast everything under the broiler for a few minutes -- watch closely to avoid burning!)
8. Serve hot with a side of blue cheese dressing (or ranch if you prefer!), extra Franks hot sauce, and a sprinkle of minced cilantro.

Crunchy Arugula, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

On a morning jog though Monterey, I worked not to slip on the wet cobble path beneath my feet. It had just rained, and was likely to start raining again soon, but for a moment the air hung still, albeit heavy with humidity. I was barely going fast enough to raise my respiratory rate (plus, at sea level the air is thick), but humidity made me sweat anyways. The sunrise was a blend of oranges and pinks and even purples, and I stopped to take pictures almost as much as I ran.

The humidity held down any usual street smells, and instead what I smelled was the California coast at it's purest. Eucalyptus, as I ducked through a grove of trees; Rosemary, as I jogged by California's first theater (it is hedged with rosemary bushes, each over two feet tall); Lavender, as I passed through the English garden alongside the boat house. And over it all, the unmistakable smell and sound of the ocean: salty and constant.

In my head, I am calling this salad the "California Salad," because when all of the ingredients come together they paint a mirage of the west coast.

As I drove down highway 1, I saw field after field of crops. It's hard to name them all: butterhead lettuce, artichokes, strawberries, and them I'm lost. These fields are a color of green that just isn't possible in the plains of Colorado, and that makes them almost hypnotizing. It's the color of fresh. 

A walk under a citrus tree this time of year is a rewarding experience, as the branches are heavy with fruit. Grapefruit, oranges, lemon. Across the street, I noticed an avocado tree boasting a absurd number of fruits. They were small still, and I couldn't tell if that was just a characteristic of the variety or if they still had room to grow. 

And there, near Cannery Row, was a storefront for an almond grower. They were stocked with piles of oils and butters and nuts. The smell of toasted nuts wafted from it's door, enough to override that salty ocean smell for a minute. 

This salad is only a few of the scents and flavors you find on the west coast, but as I put it together I couldn't help but remember the ocean breeze, the rolling hills, and warm evenings. 

Funnily enough, one of my last trips to the west coast also inspired a salad, which is completely different: Seared Wasabi Crusted Tuna Salad with Ginger & Almonds.

Crunchy Arugula, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

Published January 16, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 5-ounce package of baby arugula
• 1 grapefruit (large)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almond 
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Directions:

1. Place arugula in a salad bowl.
2. Cut the peel from the grapefruit, and then use a pairing knife to cut out each wedge of fruit, leaving the pith behind. Arrange fruit pieces over arugula.
3. Slice avocado, and arrange over arugula. Sprinkle with almonds and sesame seeds.
4. Make vinaigrette: place olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, and salt in a jar. Seal jar with a lid, and shake to combine ingreidents. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss!

Roasted Eggplant Salad

Remember how I told you that I didn’t know how to cook eggplant? Well, I’ve been practicing a lot since then. I thought I’d share some of the tips I’ve discovered along the way you with, and an easy recipe! 

How to roast perfect eggplant: 

• Whether dicing or slicing, make each piece the same size. This will ensure everything is done cooking at the same time! 

• Use plenty of oil. Don’t skimp. Eggplant is like a sponge and will soak it up plenty of oil, but that makes it get crispy in the outside. Use a Silpat (affiliate link) to keep the eggplant from sticking to your pans. Parchment works too.

• Since you’ll be using plenty, use an oil with a taste you enjoy. While it’s not a high heat oil, we like the flavor of olive oil roasted eggplant more than others. Experiment with an oil that tastes good to you! (I also like avocado oil.)

• Season with salt, pepper, and garlic before you roast. (Or harissa. Harissa is amazing.)

• Cook with a high heat: when in doubt, I go to 450°F for eggplant, but if you’re looking to char your eggplant (like, for a smokey baba ganoush) you’ll want to use your grill.

• Have patience. Wait until the eggplant is super soft when you bite into it. Set a timer, leave the kitchen, and do something else. No foamy eggplant, ok?! 

• Top it with a sauce or something fresh. A drizzle of yogurt and a scoop of tomato-cucumber salad is great, but this roasted eggplant salad calls for a creamy tahini sauce.

Now, on to why I love this recipe! 

Put on some classical music and thrown on your apron. Cooking this salad makes me feel like Ottlenghi, and you will too if you're in the right mindset. 

While eggplant is a summer crop, I like it best when it’s been roasted in the oven for sometime, making it something I prefer to cook when it's a bit cooler. Biting into a forkful of cold romaine lettuce on a snowy day? No thanks! We can do better, and in this case, better is roasted. This roasted eggplant salad is exactly the kind of thing I want to make for lunch when there’s a chill in the air.

Topped with parsley, pomegranate, and a creamy tahini sauce, it’s also vibrant with wintery colors: red, green, and soft white. It goes great with the side of roasted chicken, quinoa, or hummus… buuuut we eat this as a whole meal, split between two people. 

Roasted Eggplant Salad

Published December 7, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 2 as a main course, 4 as a side   |    Total Time: 45-50 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants (Italian variety) 
• 2 large shallots 
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil (or cooking oil of choice)
• Sprinkle of salt
• Sprinkle of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley 
• 1/4 cup pomegranate perils 
• 1/3 cup toasted pinenuts 

For the Tahini Sauce:
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/16 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice eggplants into 1/2 inch thick rounds, and arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet (or two). Slice shallots into wedges, and add to baking sheet. Brush everything with olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until eggplant is golden and cooked through. TIP: You can add the pinenuts in the last 3-5 minutes to get them nice and toasted if they are not already. Watch them closely to avoid burning.
2. While the eggplant is cooking, make the tahini sauce: combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth, seasoning with salt to taste.
3. Assembly: use a spatula to transfer cooked eggplant and shallots to a serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley, pomegranate, and pinenuts. Then, drizzle with tahini sauce. Serve warm.