Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

These Buffalo Cauliflower bites added a little zing to my weekend lunch! 

For a healthier alternative to Buffalo Chicken Wings, try making Buffalo Cauliflower bites. The flavor is similar because of the sauce, but these are lighter and more nutritious without the meat. Cauliflower offers many health benefits. It's high in fiber and antioxidants and makes a nice, low carb option. I get it. I love chicken wings as much as the next person. But I also like having options with food and mixing things up from time to time.

I've had plenty of chicken wings in restaurants over the years, but had never made any at home. For these Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, I got to play around in the kitchen with some hot sauce and other spices. These weren't really all that hard to make. And now, I can probably use the same sauce recipe with chicken for next time.

Roasted veggies are one of my favorite ways to eat vegetables. And these were a little different because they were spicy! We dipped ours in Bleu Cheese and they were great. Would I make these again? Probably! They'd be so good while watching a football game in the fall. I totally forgot to slice up some celery, so I'd add that next time. These were almost too spicy for me, so I'd also add less hot sauce. Instead of 1/2 cup, the recipe I followed says you can use 1/3 cup of hot sauce instead.

I found the recipe here from feelgoodfoodie.net.

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray
1/2 cup hot sauce
1-2 T. melted butter
1/2 T. lemon juice
Ranch or Bleu Cheese for serving
Carrots and Celery sticks for serving

Directions 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk flour, water, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl until batter is smooth. Add cauliflower to batter and toss to coat. Spread cauliflower onto the baking sheet in a single layer, season with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly browned about 20-25 minutes, flipping over halfway through for even baking. In another small bowl, whisk hot sauce, melted butter, and lemon juice until well combined. Brush the buffalo sauce mix on the cauliflower. Return to the oven and bake until they start to brown, about 15 minutes. Serve hot with Ranch or bleu cheese, and celery and carrots, if desired.