FOOTBALL SUNDAY: Cauliflower Breadsticks!

FOOTBALL SUNDAY: Cauliflower Breadsticks! 

Guys, before I started this blog and creating healthy snacks I was scared to DEATH of cauliflower. I did not understand how people turned it into this dough type thing and I thought for sure it would be a flop and a waste of time and ingredients for me!

I did my research last week and I thought - "hey - at this point, I have already done cauliflower buffalo bites - why not give this a shot?" I will just take my time and move slowly. They came out SO GOOD! Hubby approved with no leftovers :) I will definitely be making these again! Make sure to read all the directions carefully including my "Notes" at the bottom! 

You Will Need:

- Food processor or blender

- 1 tea towel 

- 3 egg whites

- 1 head of cauliflower

- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used low fat mozzarella) 

- 21 Seasonings or any Italian Seasoning 

- Salt, Pepper

- Sauce for dipping (I used marinara) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Chop cauliflower up and place in food processor. Process until you have a rice type of texture, do not let it get too creamy or turn mashed! 

3. Place cauliflower in baking dish (I went with a pyrex glass pan) and bake for 20 minutes. 

4. Take cauliflower out and turn oven up to 450 degrees.

5. Place the tea towel inside a bowl and transfer the cauliflower into that bowl, so that it is sitting on top of the tea towel. Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes, or at least until it stops steaming!

6. Grab the towel by the corners, picking up the cauliflower inside the towel. Hold it over a measuring glass (have the measuring glass in the sink for the least amount of mess) and SQUEEZE! You want to try and get about 3/4 cup of water out of the cauliflower, using the measuring cup ensures that you got enough water out. 

7. Now the cauliflower should be doughy and a little sticky. Peel it off the towel and mix in a bowl with the egg whites, shredded cheese, and seasonings. 

8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (no need for oil too) and place the dough on the pan. Spread it out into a rectangle shape using your hands, you can smooth out the edges with a spatula. 

9. Bake the dough for about 16 minutes, or whenever the edges start to slightly brown. 

10. Remove the dough from the oven and sprinkle with one more light layer of cheese (you do not need a lot, just a handful). Bake for an additional 4-5 minutes, until cheese is melted on top. 

11. Voila! Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serve with sauce of your choice! They were honestly really tasty without sauce too! 

Notes:

1. I used a mixer to combine the cauliflower dough with the eggs, cheese, and seasoning. I honestly do not think that was necessary, you can just mix in a normal bowl. 

2. If you are looking to save some time, I would suggest buying cauliflower florets that are already chopped up and cheese that is already shredded. Just be careful with the florets because it may not be the exact same amount as a full head of cauliflower. 

3. When spreading the dough out onto the baking pan, keep the dough about a quarter inch thick, give or take. You do not want them to be too thin and fall apart but you also want them to have the right shape! 

Enjoy! I would love to hear how this recipe works out for you below or if you have any questions!