Buffalo Hot Sauce Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
neutral oil
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
1/3 cup of Earth Balance Margarine
2/3 cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce (or other cayenne pepper sauce)

Directions:

Cut the head of cauliflower into bite sized florettes.

Combine rice flour, cornstarch, chili powder, vegetable stock and soy sauce in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/4 inch oil in the bottom. When the oil is hot, begin dipping pieces of the cauliflower into the batter, allow the extra batter to run off and then place the florets into the hot oil. Continue adding pieces until you have a full layer in the pan. Fry on each side for 2-3 minutes until crispy all over and then transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Be sure to stir the batter between batches, add more oil to your pan if needed and continue cooking the remaining pieces.

Melt the Earth Balance in the microwave and then mix with Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

Toss the cauliflower in the hot sauce mixture. Serve immediately

Notes:

This is a light and crispy batter which I prefer over a heavier batter.

Rice Noodle Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 14 ounce package of rice stick noodles (vermicelli--found in the ethnic food aisle)
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cooking sherry or white wine
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/2 tablespoon chopped dry red chili pepper
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 pound bok choy chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup snow peas
2 cups sunburst yellow tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2-4 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions:

Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Allow to soak while you are chopping the vegetables. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain and then set aside.

Mix the vegetable broth, soy sauce and sherry or wine.

Line everything up in the order that you will need it. Peanut oil, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, onion, bell pepper, bok choy, snow peas, tomatoes, noodles, cilantro, sesame oil.

Add peanut oil to wok or pan, heat the oil and ensure that it is covering all sides. Add garlic, ginger and chili pepper. Stir fry for a few seconds. Add onion and bell pepper and fry for a few minutes until the onion starts to become soft. Add bok choy and stir fry for a minute until the leaves are wilted. Add the broth mixture, snow peas and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the noodles and toss to mix the vegetables in with the noodles. Add the cilantro and toss, stir frying for another minute. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top and toss.

Notes:

Have fun with this! Use whatever vegetables that you have on hand--substitute broccoli for bok choy, sliced tomatoes for cherry tomatoes. Kids love this dish too!

Chickpea Picatta

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sliced onions
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons panko
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup dry white wine or cooking sherry
black pepper
pinch of dried thyme
1 16 ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup capers with brine
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups arugula
mashed potatoes or cauliflower

Directions:

In a large frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in oil over medium for 5 minutes. Add panko and stir constantly until browned, about 2 minutes.

Add vegetable broth and wine, pepper and thyme. Turn up heat boil, stirring constantly until the sauce reduces by 1/2.

Add the chickpeas and capers and heat through. Add the lemon and turn off heat.

Spoon mashed potatoes and cauliflower into a bowl. Top with a generous serving of arugula and ladle the picatta over it.