Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe (VIDEO) Family-Friendly & Vegan

While Eric and I were in L.A. back in May, we had buffalo cauliflower for the first time at Sage Organic Bistro in Culver City (beautiful restaurant!). He couldn't stop talking about the buffalo cauliflower!

I procrastinated for a while at making a version for him at home, so guess what he said?

He would eat regular chicken if I didn't make it. Ha! He knew exactly what to say to get me going.

He play too much! *side eye* lol

Anywho, I've made this several times and it's amazing! Eric and the boys love it, too!

I think often it's not the meat that we're craving but it's the sauce that is drenched on that meat.

This is a more compassionate and healthier alternative than chicken wings. I haven't tried it with BBQ sauce (or any other sauce) but I'm sure it would be just as good if you're looking for variety.

Quick notes:

*I know the picture looks crispy but the cauliflower is NOT. Don't get me wrong, the texture is great, but you'll probably have to deep fry it to truly get a crunchy texture. I haven't fried it yet, but I would assume you need to double the batter if you decide to.

*I'm surprised the boys love it so much...being that it's spicy. I notice Texas Pete hot sauce is milder than Frank's RedHot in this recipe, so you can experiment with that if the babies (your kids) are eating it.

Let me know what you think once you make it! Tag me your picture on Facebook or Instagram

Song playing while I baked: Freddie Jackson- "Have You Ever Loved Somebody"

Recipe adapted from The Lean Clean Eating Machine & MindBodyGreen

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~*~FULL RECIPE AND VIDEO BELOW ~*~

Buffalo Cauliflower

by Brown Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 large head of cauliflower, broken into bite sized pieces
• ½ cup rice or all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup hot sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan margarine, melted (Earth Balance is a good brand)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, garlic powder and water.

Mix in cauliflower, being sure that all the pieces are coated.

Place cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer (use parchment paper or oil to prevent it from sticking).

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the hot sauce and margarine.

Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl.

Pour on the sauce, being sure to coat all the cauliflower pieces.

Place the cauliflower back on the baking sheet and roast for 18-25 more minutes.

Let it cool for 10 minutes and serve with vegan ranch dressing.

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Eating Pizza....NOT the Vegan Kind

A few weeks ago I ate a slice of cheese pizza from a local spot.
 
After feeling awful about myself…. I ate another slice. And another. And one more.
 
You know how some people reach for wine when they have a bad day or when life isn’t going so well? My drug of choice is food.

Sometimes this is my crappy reality.

I’m not proud of it, but I made a vow to myself that I will be more open with you about my journey…the good, the bad and definitely the ugly.
 
These days, I’m working on embracing my progress and trying not to beat myself up for not being perfect. I’m a work in progress.
 
Is this your life, too?
 
I wanted to give you this audio I recorded a little while ago (about 15 minutes long) with tips on how to deal with a vegan slump.
 
>>> What to do if you fall off a vegan journey audio <<<
 

Points I made in the audio:

*Make a decision to go vegan, then come up with a plan-Research, use cookbooks, etc

*Connect with other vegans on and offline

*Be open to experimenting with new recipes

*Baby step your way to more vegan meals

*DON'T beat yourself up

Sometimes we have setbacks, but in my experience the journey tends to be like that!

Dust yourself off and try again!

Thanks for reading. Please share your own experiences in the comments.

Quinoa & Sausage Skillet Recipe | What's for Dinner? (VIDEO)

I was a bit nervous about making this recipe for my family. They have a love/hate thing going on with quinoa, so I wasn't sure what the reaction would be...plus it doesn't look the most appetizing (at least not to me).

The verdict? All 5 of us loved it!

This meal is super simple, filling and the flavor is bomb. From start to finish, it will take about 35 minutes to put this together, so it's an awesome weeknight recipe.

The more I think about it, the more I realize my family just may not be the biggest fans of tri-color quinoa (who is more nutty and chewy) and actually probably just like the white quinoa that I used in this recipe.

Either way they loved this one and I've made it 3 times for them already. I usually double it so that we can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

Once you make it, let me know what you think here or over on my Facebook page.

Recipe adapted from Peas and Thank You

Quinoa & Sausage Skillet

by Brown Vegan

Keywords: entree vegan

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon oil (to saute vegetables)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 15 oz crushed tomatoes, canned
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 4 meatless sausage links, sliced (Field Roast & Tofurky are good brands)

Instructions

Add quinoa and water to a pot and bring to a boil.

Cover and cook on med-lo for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large skillet, saute onion, red bell pepper and celery for 7 minutes on medium heat.

Add in basil, oregano, salt, black pepper and garlic-cooking for another minute.

Stir in tomatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a low boil.

Next, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Mix in vegan sausage and quinoa and cook until the sausage is warm (about 5 minutes).

Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

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See more "What's for Dinner?" videos on this playlist

How to Eat Vegan at Cookouts

It's that time of year again! Are you ready for sticky weather, beaches and going to every cookout looking like this....

.....because nothing on the table is vegan?

It's crazy how once you go vegan you realize just how much meat, dairy & eggs are in so many dishes while eating out.

I don't know about you, but after being vegan since 2010, I still feel awkward at cookouts.

I've accepted that I will probably never be 100% comfortable being vegan in social settings.

With that said, it does get a lot easier to navigate. You will get used to the awkwardness. lol

 

Here are 6 tips for your summer of cookouts... 

*Eat before you go-This is a must if you're just starting out in a vegan lifestyle.  Your aunt's macaroni and cheese & grandmother's potato salad will be too tempting on an empty stomach.

*Eat after you leave-I'm the queen of hitting up Chipotle on the way home from any social event. You can also stash nuts, fruit, and seeds in your car to hold you over until you get home.

*Attack the fruit & vegetable tray-The potato salad, hamburgers, pasta salad (my fam usually has meat & cheese in theirs) and all the desserts at the cookout are likely not vegan. Fortunately, every cookout I've ever been to has a fruit and/or vegetable tray. I don't consider this a meal, but it will likely hold you over until you leave...especially if you ate before getting there. Also, snacking on fruit and vegetables helps with the uncomfortable feeling of not eating while everyone is.

*Bring a side dish or two -I've done this a few times and it usually goes pretty well. It's also a great conversation starter. Check out the recipes at the bottom of the post for ideas. Bring some vegan hotdogs (even the produce dept of the most basic grocery stores are starting to sell these) or veggie burgers and ask the host to toss them on the grill for you. Don't forget to bring a few extra to share because some may be curious about how they taste.

*Don't be shy-If you bring a dish, use this as an opportunity to educate your family on why you made the shift to a vegan diet.  Don't preach! Just chat with those who want to know more (and people will) in the most loving and fun way possible. Try not to get defensive when someone has a sly comment. It happens! *Sigh* Smile and enjoy your day.

*Try to see social events as an opportunity to connect...NOT eat-This is one that I'm still working on.  For most of us, cookouts are just as much about the food than spending time with family and friends.  Try to see these occasions as being more about connecting with family and friends and less about the food.  I know this is easier said than done but with practice it will get better.

 

Try some of these recipes:

What to toss on the grill: tofu kebabs, Field Roast or Tofurky sausage (try not to overcook because they will dry out), vegan hotdogs, and my favorite vegan burger is perfect on the grill.

Side dishes: super simple pasta salad, vegan version of the Neely's potato salad recipe, and kale salad

Desserts: strawberries stuffed with vegan cream cheese (use this vegan whipped cream if you can't find vegan cream cheese near you) and peach cobbler

 

These days I'm so blessed because most of my family members are accommodating when it comes to cookouts. They go above and beyond to make sure there's a meal for me (especially my parents)...things will get better. I promise. :-)