Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

It was requested to come up with a creamy buffalo cauliflower dip that didn’t have cheese or cream cheese. So I gave it a whirl and oh my, this is dip is SO tasty - you won’t miss the cheese.

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Dip (Image source: Molly Morgan)

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets (about 4 cups)
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into thick slices
2 tablespoons Earth’s Balance buttery spread
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free thickener like arrowroot)
1 cup Oatly oat milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons (or more) Frank’s red hot sauce
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. On a baking sheet arrange the cauliflower florets and onions. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.

3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the buttery spread. Whisk in the flour. Once combined and smooth, add the oat milk. Stirring throughout, bring the mixture to a boil. Let boil for one minute and then reduce heat to simmer. The sauce should be thickened. Stir in the hot sauce, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast.

4. Transfer about 1 cup of the roasted cauliflower and all of the onion pieces to the sauce pan. Using an immersion blender, blend until sauce is smooth.

5. Place the rest of the roasted cauliflower in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour the sauce over the top. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and lightly browned.

   Serving suggestion: Serve with celery for dipping or whole grain tortilla chips.
   

   Nutrition Facts (per serving): 150 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 280 milligrams sodium, 20 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, 6 grams protein

Heart Helping Foods to Include

Despite the terrible figures around COVID-19, heart disease is still the number one cause of death among men and women around the globe. February is heart health month and the perfect time to focus on adding in heart helping foods to your eating routine! Try these ideas!

Olive Oil (Image source: iStock)

OLIVE OIL

In cooking, limit the amount of butter that you use and instead, move in olive oil. This is important to help your heart health! Butter is primarily saturated fat, for example: 1 tablespoon of butter has 12 grams of fat and 7 grams saturated fat. Compared to olive oil which per tablespoon has 14 grams of fat and ONLY 2 grams of saturated fat.

This doesn’t mean that you can never use butter again! But when possible, move in olive oil instead!

Quick tip: If the taste of olive oil is too strong for certain dishes, pick-up a bottle of “light” olive oil, which is light in flavor because it has been pressed more than extra virgin olive oil, which is from the first press of the olives.

Heart Health (Image source: iStock)

BEANS

Beans are so great for heart health because they are rich in fiber! This is important because fiber is linked to improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels. One cup of beans has between 8 and 17 grams of fiber! For example: one cup of lentils has 8 grams of fiber and one cup of chickpeas has 17 grams of fiber.

There are plenty of ways to add-in beans from soups, chili, stews, or even dips. Here are links to a couple of my favorites: bean dip, white chicken chili, and roasted beet hummus.

Biena Snacks

Also simple ways to add-in beans like roasted chickpeas from Biena Snacks that come in a wide variety of flavors and some treat-like flavors too (e.g. milk chocolate!). Each serving is about 130 calories plus it delivers 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. Click here to buy some from their website or check your local stores like Target or Wegmans for them as well!

BadaBeanBadaBoom

Or BadaBeanBadaBoom are so crunchy and delicious! These have 100 calories and 5 grams of fiber per pack! They come in a wide variety of flavors too! My personal favorite flavor is Sweet Sirarcha.

Click here to buy some from their website or check local grocery stores like Wegmans.

Hummus and Veggies

VEGGIES

While I’m sure you know that you need to eat vegetables, most people still aren’t eating enough vegetables routinely. Vegetables are important for heart health because like beans, they deliver fiber! Plus all of the color from vegetables brings along important antioxidants and plant compounds that are linked to helping health in many ways - including heart health.

Here are some ways to boost your veggie intake!

• For a snack, appetizer, or side dish at dinner serve cup sliced veggies with hummus or your other favorite dips!

• Have two different veggies at meals - Quick tip: stock up on frozen veggies to make adding extra vegetables a breeze

• Make vegetable based soups, like Creamy Tomato Soup or Fall Squash Soup

• Go plant-based at least one day per week - try dishes like Creamy Pasta Primavera

• Snack on celery filled with light cream cheese or creamy peanut butter

PB Pretzel Granola

Serves 12

Ingredients:
Parchment paper for lining the baking dish
2 ½ cups whole-wheat pretzels, chopped
1 cup old fashioned oats, plus 1 cup left whole
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup agave nectar

 Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking dish (e.g. 9” x 9”) with parchment paper.

2. Chop the pretzels until coarsely ground (or use a food processor). Then transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. In the food processor, pulse the oats until they are finely ground (resembling oat flour). Then transfer to the mixing bowl.

4. In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, olive oil, and agave nectar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through and well combined.

5. Stir the peanut butter mixture into the reserved oat-pretzel mixture and mix well. Then transfer to the baking dish and evenly spread throughout.

6. Bake for 20-mintues to until the granola is lightly browned. Cool the granola and store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Molly’s book, Skinny Size-It (Harlequin Non-Fiction 2014)

Super Bowl Snack Recipes!

Super Bowl LV (Image Source: iStock)

Are you thinking about what to make for the Super Bowl Sunday? Here are some delicious recipe ideas for you to try from veggie sticks, to creamy dips, and bite-size desserts.

Veggie Sticks

A quick and easy cauliflower-based “bread”. So delicious!

Click here for the recipe.

Game Day Hummus Platter

Arrange cut veggies and whole grain chips with your favorite hummus selections!

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

A healthier dip perfect for the big game. Click here for the recipe.

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

This creamy, yogurt-based dip is so tasty and easy to pull together! Click here for the recipe.

Reese’s Bites

A perfect fun, bitesize dessert! Click here for the recipe.

Q and A with author Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD

I was so excited to check out this new Ebook, Let’s Try New Foods, from Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD! It’s such a well put together resource to get you and your family to be a little more adventurous with trying new foods, from cauliflower to fish to tofu. It includes 22 family-friendly recipes along with printables to make it fun!

Check out this Q and A with Sally! And be sure to pick-up a copy of this great resource for you and your family via her website: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/lets-try-new-foods-book/

Let’s Try New Foods by Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD

Q: What motivated you to put together this new Ebook?

When I wrote my book The 101 Healthiest Foods For Kids, I had my own kids count up how many of the foods they liked. One kid scored pretty high, another lower, but it made me realize that I had not been serving some of these foods nearly enough--and some not at all because they're foods that (even though they're quite healthy) I'm just not wild about. We all need an encouraging, gentle nudge to serve certain foods to our families, whether that's because those foods have crashed and burned before or because they're foods the whole family isn't as familiar with. I wanted to make that process easier for other parents.

Q: Have you used some of these strategies with your own family?

Yes, I'm a former picky eater and married to a former picky eater, so I definitely started with him when we first began dating. I'd make him these tiny salads of just a few lettuce leaves, a bunch of croutons, and a ton of dressing. We still laugh about those salads, but now he eats big salads almost every night. That's where my "starter salad" idea came from that I talk about in the book. Picky eaters especially need baby steps to start with, so I made sure to include a lot of those in the book that I use with my own kids, like dicing mushrooms very small to put into ground beef for burritos.

Q: What has been the most challenging food for your family (or you) to incorporate?

Cauliflower! I'm still the only one in the family who likes it. I understand because it does have a stronger flavor (and aroma when cooked). But I'm hoping that one day it will break through with the rest of them.

Q: What is the best tip you can share with frustrated parents?

Forget the advice of "kids need 10-15 exposures before they'll try something". Because some kids will need MUCH more, and counting on a magical 10-15 exposures can lead to frustration and disappointment. The key is to keep exposing your kids to all kinds of foods, even if that just means those foods are on the table but they're not trying them. Exposure leads to familiarity, which hopefully leads to eventually tasting those foods--but it may be months, years, or decades. And that's okay!

Q: What is your favorite recipe in the Ebook?

Chocolate Tofu Pudding. Yes, kids can like tofu and it truly works in this chocolate pudding. It's a fun way to make tofu a little less intimidating!

Sheet Pan Enchiladas - Two Ways!

There is something so fantastic about sheet pan dinners! One of my favorite bonuses is that they are quick and easy to clean up.

This is a sheet pan enchilada recipe that I have adapted from Molly Gilbert’s, Sheet Pan Suppers cookbook, which is filled with lots of delicious recipes.

Sheet Pan Enchiladas
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken, cooked and diced OR chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can diced green chilies
2 cups enchilada sauce
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
10 small whole grain tortilla shells
3 cups+ cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice
1 avocado for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare a sheet pan with heavy duty foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken or 2 cups chickpeas), chiles, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, black beans, chickpeas, scallions, and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix to combine.

3. Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in a thin layer over the sheet pan. Line perimeter of sheet pan with the rice.

4. To fill the enchilada shells: spread out one tortilla shell and fill it with about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture. Then roll up folding the two sides and roll tightly so the filling stays in the shell. Place the filled shells on the baking tray in two rows, of 5 wraps each.

   Note - depending on the size of your tortilla shells, adjust the number of enchiladas you prepare!

5. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the rice and over the top of the shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese it melted and filling is warmed through.

   Serve topped with diced fresh avocado!

Cran-Walnut Granola

Cran Walnut Granola (Image Source: iStock)

The funny thing is that I was actually trying to create a new bar recipe but it just didn’t turn out… instead, the result was the best tasting homemade granola, ever. The granola is lightly sweet and perfectly crunchy! I’m now starting to use the oats and maple syrup ratio as a base to make variations off of this recipe switching up different types of chips and dried fruit so I’ll report back on how other combinations come out!

Cran-Walnut Granola
Serves 10

Ingredients:
2.5 cups old fashioned oats 
1/4 cup walnuts 
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup yogurt chips or white chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup maple syrup 
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the granola ingredients, stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a prepared dish.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool, and then stir to break into pieces.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 200 calories, 8 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium, 32 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 16 grams sugar, 3 grams protein

Cheesy Buffalo Poppers

This appetizer is easy to pull together and is perfect for watching the big game! The spice level is like that of mild salsa so adjust the hot sauce up or down depending on your preference. Also for a lower spice option, you could opt for shredded cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack cheese!

Cheesy Buffalo Poppers (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Cheesy Buffalo Poppers
Serves 24 poppers

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons hot sauce (adjust taste)
8 oz Pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
1. Prepare mini-muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl lightly beat the 2 eggs. Then mix in the cooked rice, onion, hot sauce, cheese, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix until well combined.

3. Divide mixture among the prepared mini-muffin tins (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per muffin). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Veggie Chili

This veggie chili is full of flavor and loaded with vegetables - along with of course, beans! Making this a perfect chili to warm up in the winter. This recipe is from my cookbook, Skinny-Size It (Harlequin Non Fiction 2014) which is all about making great tasting recipes in a lighter way yet with great portion sizes!

The key to skinny-size it recipes is loading up recipes with veggies because most vegetables per cup have fewer calories than many other foods which results in a great portion size while keeping calories in check. Pick up a copy of Skinny-Size It where books are sold online or click here.

And lastly I definitely suggest to pair this up with some delicious Whole Grain Corn Bread. Click here for the recipe.

Veggie Chili (Image Source: iStock)

Veggie Chili
Serves 12

Ingredients:
2 cans (15.5 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 1/2 cups diced sweet onion
1 cup mild salsa (or salsa of your choice)
1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped (about 1 cup)
Chili powder, to taste
Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the chili powder and sea salt in a slow cooker (*See below for quick cooking Instant Pot instructions). Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

   Or to prepare on the stove top, combine all the ingredients in a large soup pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

2. Season with chili powder and sea salt to taste, and serve at once.

   Serving suggestions: Serve topped with fresh jalapenos, shredded cheddar cheese, and plain Greek yogurt.

   *INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all ingredients in Instant Pot. Lock lid. Adjust settings to cook on high for 14 - 16 minutes. Release pressure, stir, and serve!

   Nutrition facts (per serving): 180 calories, 1 gram fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 250 milligrams sodium, 34 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 4 gram sugar, 10 grams protein
   

Chocolate Dessert Hummus

This dip is perfect to pair with fresh fruit like apple slices, strawberries, or your other favorites! Plus it is simple to whip up. Report back if you try it. Happy Friday!

Chocolate Dessert Hummus with Fresh Fruit (Image Source: iStock)

Chocolate Dessert Hummus
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas (14.5 oz), drained and rinsed
6 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a food processor combine the chickpeas, coconut milk, agave nectar, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla extract; blend until smooth and creamy.

2. Remove the mixture from the food processor and transfer to a bowl, then stir in mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

   Serving suggestion – serve with fresh strawberries or other fruit

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 130 calories, 3 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 175 milligrams sodium, 22 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 11 grams sugar, 4 grams protein