Cauliflower Cakes

Do you have any issues getting your family to eat and embrace and utterly love vegetables? Apparently, according to other parents (OK, one other mom at MOPS) in the same life stage as I my kids are pretty darn good at eating vegetables. Without much pleading they eat peas, broccoli, corn, cauliflower, potatoes, and, and, and that's about it. As high as my hopes were for kiddos eating cauliflower in a cake they were dashed upon serving. Bummer. But I tried and I will. never. stop. Alas! There is good news for this cake. The recipe was a win with hubby. He was head over heels with these cauliflower cakes. Or maybe he was just starving because when he came into the kitchen upon the cauliflower cakes cooling on the baking racks he proceeded to eat 3 cakes. Inhalation. Then he decided to sit down with some leftover tartar sauce and have a fourth. He was in love. With me, that is. Because of cauliflower...among other things, I suppose. Anyway, you should totally make these because someone will love you. Guaranteed. 

Grab a head of cauliflower and a little boy. OK, little boy not required. 

Cut up the florets and throw in a bowl. You can use all of the core because it's all getting pulverized  in the end. You can even use the green leaves that look healthy. 

See? Green leaves. Healthy. I steamed my cauliflower in the microwave, but my best friend in the whole wide world refrains from using the microwave too much because she avoids the radiation or something like that. My cauliflower was steamed in about 2 inches of water, with the bowl covered in plastic wrap. Don't like plastic wrap? I don't either, but I use it because I'm a millennial and I try to be thrifty, but at other times I just use up rolls of plastic. After the florets are done steaming for about 10 minutes by your preferred method you're going to whiz it up in the food processor until its coarsely ground. Think the size of peas. A potato masher may work here, too if you'd like to develop your pectorals. Then you'll mix the cauliflower with eggs, seasonings, cheese and breadcrumbs. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grab your cookie cutter or biscuit cutter that is about 3" wide and plop about a quarter cup of the mixture in it. It's so easy. And it goes fast. After you form it into cakes it's baked into the oven. This recipe was made in under 30 minutes. Yes, please!

Hello, cauliflower cake.

You are so beautiful.

I'd like to eat you. What clever ways have you devised to incorporate vegetables into your family's diet?

Printable Recipe Here

Cauliflower Cakes

Yield: 7 cakes

1 head cauliflower (about 3 cups florets and any healthy looking green leaves)
2 large eggs
2 green onions, finely diced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 heaping cup colby jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 375ºF. 

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean-up.

Break apart the head of cauliflower into large pieces and place in a medium sized microwave safe bowl, cover with about 2" of water, place a dinner plate or plastic wrap over the top and steam in the microwave until just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from microwave and let cool slightly.

In a food processor, pulse steamed cauliflower until coarsely ground. Move to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, onions, cheese, bread crumbs and seasonings. Give that a thorough mixing. 

Place a 3" wide biscuit cutter on the lined baking sheet and scoop about a 1/4 cup heaping measure of the cauliflower mixture into the biscuit cutter. Flatten with a spoon. Continue until all the cauliflower is gone. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on the bottom and edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few moments. Move to a wire rack to cool. Serve hot or room temperature. Delightful with homemade tartar sauce.