BEEP BEEP. Easy healthy dinner alert!
Summer is right around the corner…
And that means beaches and bikinis. That also means I need to stop my current diet of exclusively pizza, chicken fingers, and cookies.
OK. Maybe I’ll keep the cookies…
So I’ve been trying to find interesting twists on healthy foods. See: cauliflower rice and kale chips.
Now this recipe teeeechnically isn’t the most healthy. But it is certainly better than some of its fried counterparts.
With that, I present to you…
General Tso’s Cauliflower!
This is one of the more simple recipes I’ve posted. Mainly because I used store-bought sauce…. WHAT?! THE HORROR!
Alright, listen, if you all want a homemade sauce–and want to quadruple your ingredients and dirty more dishes for something that tastes almost as good as store-bought–let me know and I’ll be more than happy to develop one!
But since we are not made of minutes, just go to your local grocery store, scope out the Asian aisle, and grab yourself your favorite style of sticky, spicy deliciousness. I chose General Tso’s for this, but they have orange, szechuan, and many others. Just pick your favorite from your usual takeout order!
Since the sauce is ready to go (you’re welcome), all you need to focus on is your cauliflower and rice! Use any rice or preparation you like best.
Vic Trick: I usually make a big batch of brown rice over the weekend and use as a side in my meals throughout the week. #mealprep
Preheat your oven to 400°
First, you’ll need to prepare your cauliflower. Take the head and snap off the larger leaves from the base. I usually try and break off as much as I can by hand –it makes the rest of the process easier.
Once your stem is bared, take your knife and cut around the outside of the stem. The large bundles of cauliflower should fall as you cut around.
Cut the larger pieces into smaller, bite-sized pieces. I made them small enough so I didn’t have to cut them once they were done.
Next you set up your dredging stations. We’re keepin’ it classic–flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs.
I seasoned my breadcrumbs with a some garlic, cayenne, ginger, salt and pepper. However, feel free to add or omit and seasonings of your choice. And don’t be shy, the more flavor in the breadcrumbs the better!
Grab a large baking sheet and cover it with some parchment paper. I set up my work station like so:
Taking a few cauliflower bites at a time, cover in the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs thoroughly, then line them up on your baking sheet.
Throw them in the oven until they are a nice crispy and toasty light brown, about 25-30 minutes.
Toss these delicious little crispy white trees in your sauce of choice.
Put over rice or eat as is! You can top it with some diced chives or green onions. But let’s be honest–you don’t have that stuff and it tastes fine without it.
Vic Trick: I coated these bad boys in sauce, but looking back, that wasn’t necessary. Save some calories by dipping your cauliflower into the sauce without coating it!
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Happy Eating!
