YIELDS:
8 servings
PREP TIME:
0 hours 10 mins
COOK TIME:
0 hours 32 mins
TOTAL TIME:
0 hours 42 mins
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ingredients
1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Cup Wondra flour
1 Cup Skim milk
1/2 Tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 Tsp. Onion powder
1+ Tsp. Kosher Salt
20+ Grinds freshly ground black pepper
1 Cup Panko
1 Cup Lite Blue Cheese dressing
1 Cup Sugar free BBQ sauce
1+ Tsp. Hot pepper Sauce
Cooking Spray
DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and top with a rack. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
2) Add the BBQ sauce of you choice with the hot sauce in a small saucepan and heat over a low heat. You’ll pour that into a small bowl and put the blue cheese dressing in a separate bowl for serving when the cauliflower bites are ready.
3) Mix the flour, milk garlic powder, onion power, teaspoon of salt and 20 grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
4) In a separate bowl, mix the panko with a large pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper.
5) Dip a cauliflower floret into the batter to coat. Let the excess drip off. Then roll in the panko to completely coat. Place on the prepared rack. Continue until all the cauliflower florets are coated and on the rack.
6) Spray the breaded cauliflower with cooking spray and place in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until starting to brown. Finish under the broiler for two minutes until golden brown.
7) Serve on a platter with the dipping sauces and enjoy.
NOTES: These crispy cauliflower bites are going to become a favorite at all your sporting events. Lighter, healthier and just as delicious as chicken wings, these are going to change the way you think about veggies. They have this super, crispy exterior thanks to the panko breadcrumbs and this super soft interior thanks to the baking. There is no frying and no oil. I like to think of these as my crispy cauliflower wings or crispy buffalo cauliflower wings. But there are a couple of tips that keep these super crispy. First, make sure you are baking these at a high temperature so they cook quickly. Placing the bites on a rack allows the air to circulate around the cauliflower bites and get them crispy. Then, spraying them with the cooking spray, helps them brown up during the bake. Finishing them under the broiler gets them golden brown and ready for serving. When I first made them, I immediately tossed them in the spicy bbq/buffalo sauce I made. That works if you are eating them right away BUT it made the crust soggy and it lost all that crunch if they were sitting out. The solution, was to not toss the cauliflower bites in the sauce but rather, serve it on the side along with the blue cheese dressing or any other sauce you are serving.
This was an easy solution and one that keeps everything hot and crispy. Your guests can decide what they want on their bites. It also gives you the options of adding all kinds of dipping sauces on the side. Some others might include: . A regular BBQ sauce . A really spicy buffalo sauce . A ranch dressing . Salsa . Greek yogurt
I’ve also made these and sprinkled them with grated Parmesan cheese and served them with warm marinara sauce. My Italian twist worked great if I also add dried oregano and dried basil into the batter. Give that a try too!
If you like this healthy option as an appetizer or game day snack, be sure to try some of my other healthier options. 7 Layer Mexican Dip cups Easy and Healthy Chicken Quesadillas Party Nachos Mini Ranchero Shrimp Tacos
