The magic of cauliflower is endless, almost making up for the oh so stinky smell! With football season in full swing, I am in the pursuit of creating delicious clean eating snacks we can enjoy and not feel as if we are missing out on the usual junk food associated with watching football!
These cauliflower bites are a great low carb, gluten-free snack. If you choose to fry them after baking, they are a perfectly crispy substitution for tater tots or fries. The first time I made these, I had my boyfriend do a blind test and guess the ingredients. He guessed potato, which proved I had successfully created the substitute!
Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
Ingredients:
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 2 Tbl coconut milk*
- 2 Tbl butter
- 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 egg whites
- salt & pepper to taste
- oil for frying
Clean and trim the cauliflower.
Combine cauliflower, milk and butter and steam. (You can do this on the stove or microwave for 5 minutes.)
Add the cauliflower and cheese to a magic bullet or food processor and blend until still chunky – kind of like a cooked oatmeal consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least half an hour.
Whip the egg whites to a stiff peak. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cauliflower mixture to lighten it up.
Then fold the cauliflower mixture into the rest of the egg whites and gently mix until combined. For best results, chill for another half hour or they won’t hold their shape as well.
Fit a pastry bag with a round or star tube with about a 3/4 inch opening. Spray the inside of the bag with nonstick spray. Gently squeeze out 1 inch sections onto a greased cookie sheet, cutting with a butter knife as you go.
When finished, bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes (or longer if you’re skipping the frying) until puffed and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve – or heat 1/4 inch of oil in a saute pan and when it’s very hot add the tots.
It doesn’t need long, a minute per side to turn them golden brown and crispy.
Serve immediately.
* The original recipe from I Breathe I’m Hungry calls for heavy cream, I substituted almond milk. She also suggests microwaving the cauliflower. I steam it on the stove.
Enjoy!
xoxo Kellie
