Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich

I went into my grocery store and bought a couple heads of cauliflower. I usually purchase frozen cauliflower, and I wanted to try buying them fresh. The issue I ran into, however, was realizing that buying a couple heads of cauliflower actually gave me more to work with versus purchasing those small bags I would get.

So this meant getting creative and finding new ways to utilize cauliflower aside from steaming them or turning them into small bites.

I’ve seen recipes for a Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich before, and I wanted to give it a try myself. I added my own mix to creating this dish. Basically meaning, every recipe I found I ignored the “extra” ingredients it called for.

Most of the Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich recipes that I stumbled on listed flour or some type of breading to dip the cauliflower into. Obviously, I skipped this step.

I did the same in my Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. I’m sure adding the flour gives it a crispier taste, but I don’t have time for all of that.

Cauliflower, if not overcooked, has a natural crisp to it anyway. This worked just fine for me. I toasted my buns, and BOOM….there was my crisp.

Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich

This vegetarian take on the buffalo chicken sandwich is perfect for your meatless lunch
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins | Total Time: 50 mins
Course: Lunch | Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cauliflower, Vegetarian Servings: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling Blend
optional toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado, ranch

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Take your head of cauliflower and cut into 1/2 inch steaks. Cutting from top to bottom
3. Rinse and pat dry clean each cauliflower steak. Lay each onto a baking oven sheet
4. Drizzle olive oil over each cauliflower steak on both sides
5. Sprinkle your chilli powder, garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash seasoning over your cauliflower steaks on both sides
6. Using a tablespoon, pour over small spoonfuls of your hot sauce over top cauliflower steaks
7. Add to your oven and allow to bake for 20 minutes
8. Take cauliflower steaks out of oven and flip over. Pour small spoonfuls over the other side of your steaks
9. Place back into the oven for an additional 20 minutes
10. Remove from ove and allow to cool for 5 minutes

Notes
If seeking a crispier taste, you can dip cauliflower into hot sauce and flour

How To Cook Tofu

When I first became a vegetarian, there were only a handful of food options I knew were a great alternative for protein. Beans, quinoa, and tofu.

I hated tofu when I first tried it. But the only reason I hated tofu was because I didn’t know or understand how to prepare it. The first time I cooked with tofu, I used it as a meat replacement for sloppy joes. Epic fail! I tried it a few other times thereafter and I just couldn’t seem to get past that mushy texture. It wasn’t until later on I realized that tofu is extremely versatile and capable of absorbing flavors if prepared correctly.

What is tofu anyway? 

The simplest way to describe tofu is bean curd. Yes. Bean curd. Doesn’t sound appealing, but let me explain why. Tofu is made from soy beans and is minimally processed into the cube like form that it comes in. It’s very popular in most Asian cuisines.

Tofu comes in a variety of different textures such as silken, firm, or extra firm to name a few. The primary difference is how the tofu was processed. I usually go for the extra firm because I found that it resembles the texture of meat the most. I’ll admit the appearance of it will really throw you off. You will find this cubed white product packaged in water.

When preparing tofu, the water needs to be drained as much as possible.

By draining the water, this allows the tofu to absorb any marinade or seasonings that you apply to it. If you skip this step, you’ll find that it won’t absorb any seasonings and all of that water in the tofu will just give it a bland taste. Trust me. I’ve made this mistake before, and that’s really the biggest part of cooking tofu.

There isn’t one specific way to drain your tofu. I prefer to wrap my tofu around a cloth or paper towel, and press a plate or pot on top of it. I allow this to sit for at least 30 minutes. The cloth/towel should absorb the access water from the tofu, making it a lot easier to cook and/or slice without crumbling.

I have seen some recipes that direct you to freeze your tofu first. But if you’re lazy like me, this is a step I found I could skip.

You have to season your tofu!

You read that correctly. The same you add salt, pepper, or any type of marinade to your meats is the same way you would season tofu. This was the part that I missed. I just assumed that tofu would have a taste of its own. I didn’t realize that tofu really becomes what you make it.

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, tumeric, or whatever else floats your boat.

How To Cook Tofu

The perfecty way to drain and season your extra firm tofu
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Total Time: 1 hr

Ingredients
1 pack Extra Firm Tofu
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp Garlic Powder

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 400­°f
2. Take your tofu and wrap in a cloth or paper towel. You will need to press or squeeze as much moisture out as possible
3. Once moisture has been removed from tofu, you can cut into little cubes or slices
4. Mix the vegetable oil evenly through the tofu and add in your salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
5. Add tofu to oven and allow to bake for 30 minutes. Flip tofu over about halfway between time
6. Bake until tofu is a crisp brown on all sides

Notes
You can use season salt or garlic salt in place of the normal salt and pepper if you would like more of a kick

Two Years Ago We Bought a House

This time last year, Leo and I made the decision to purchase our first home. Sometimes it still feels surreal. Even as I'm pulling into the garage and opening the door, I'm truly amazed at just how much God has blessed us.

Prior to purchasing our home, we lived in a three-bedroom apartment. We loved our apartment. But, like most apartment complexes, you begin to outgrow them. We no longer liked being able to hear our neighbors thumping around upstairs or to hear our neighbors arguing in the middle of the night. Not to mention, we hated the reeking smell of weed that poured into our apartment. That wasn't good for our newborn baby.

It was time to move. It was a huge leap for me, but I followed Leo's lead.

I honestly never really thought about the day I would be closing on my own house. I imagined that one day it would happen, but I didn't picture it. I didn't even know what kind of house I liked. I just knew I wanted a two-story home with a nice kitchen.

Leo and I found an amazing realtor that was understanding of what we wanted in our first home. Being a family of three, we didn't require anything large but wanted something spacious. I love an open floor plan, and of course...a backyard for Liam to play when he gets older. 

Looking back I have no regrets. If I had to choose a starter home today I would choose this very home. I still love our home just as much as I did when we first viewed it. It's become the perfect home for Liam to grow and the perfect home for building such early memories for him.