Healthy Animal Style Cauliflower
Do you or your kids find it hard to eat and enjoy vegetables? Then this is the PERFECT recipe to make them much easier to eat!
If you’re anything like me, cauliflower isn’t exactly your favorite food. Growing up we almost always ate it raw and it was so bland, dry, and smelled funny. I hated when I was forced to eat it. Once I discovered roasted cauliflower I found it far more enjoyable. But this animal style cauliflower recipe takes the vegetable from tolerable to TASTY. Now I love it!
If you live in a state with In-n-Out Burgers – or have visited one – then you or your kids probably have no problem gobbling down some animal style fries, am I right? In-n-Out is known for their crispy French fries topped with grilled onions and Thousand Island dressing. It’s the perfect combo of salty, crunch and sweet.
Now take the animal style fries idea and blend it with a much healthier veggie, and you have this fabulous Animal Style Cauliflower recipe that you and your family are sure to enjoy. In fact, I actually got this recipe from my sister-in-law because their family makes it about once a week and their kids LOVE it. I’m not sure where the original recipe came from so I can’t give credit, but I have modified this slightly to make it a bit healthier.
The good news? It’s very easy to make! (see Instagram reel below)
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Why eat cauliflower? It’s full of fiber, B-vitamins, and even has vitamin C. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli are anti-cancer foods and are good sources of antioxidants. The fiber in cauliflower and other vegetables can aid in lowering cholesterol, preventing diverticulitis, and improving heart health.
Is Cauliflower Healthy for Weight Loss?
If you’re trying to lose weight, vegetables like cauliflower are a great option because they fill you up due to volume, water content and fiber, but are very low in calories. I particularly like this dish because it combines cauliflower with a little fat from the cheese and dressing to make it even more filling. One of the keys to weight loss is filling up on healthy foods that your body can easily digest and utilize. You’ll get fuller faster and stay full longer without feeling like you’re dieting. This dish also tastes indulgent so it will more easily satisfy your tastebuds than plain vegetables. And studies have show that when you feel you’re eating more indulgent foods, your body actually produces less of the hunger hormone ghrelin!
What is Nutritional Yeast?
You’ll notice that this recipe uses nutritional yeast. This is an optional ingredient you can leave out if you don’t have it, but I sprinkle on these yeast flakes add it for the protein, beta glucans and B12, which also makes this an excellent supplement for vegetarians and vegans. The added protein will also help keep you full. Beta glucans are a fiber that provides excellent immune support. It has a naturally cheesy flavor, so if you are a vegan, you can use this and omit the actual cheese in the recipe.
Animal Style Cauliflower Recipe Ingredients
- 2 medium to large sized cauliflower
- 1.5 Tbsp. taco or fajita seasoning
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or to taste)
- ¼ cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup homemade thousand island dressing (see recipe below)
Homemade Thousand Island Dressing Recipe
- 1/2 cup. Primal Kitchen Foods Avocado mayo or vegan mayo of choice
- 2 Tbsp reduced sugar ketchup
- 1 Tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. Monkfruit or coconut sugar (optional)
- 2 tsp. Organic pickle relish
- 1 tsp. White, yellow, or red onion, finely minced
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
- 1 dash black pepper
Mix all ingredients into a bowl with a whisk or fork. Add warm water a few drops at a time if consistency is too thick.
How to Make Animal Style Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a large baking pan by either covering with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. If you don’t have either of those, coat your pan in olive oil to prevent cauliflower from sticking on pan.
- Wash and dry cauliflower, then chop off the stem, making sure to remove any remaining leaves.
- Chop or break the cauliflower into small florets and spread across the pan. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-washed and chopped cauliflower in a bag at most supermarkets.
- Drizzle evenly with olive oil. You can also use grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Sprinkle on 1-2 tablespoons of any taco or fajita seasoning of choice (I don’t measure, just add to taste)
- Sprinkle on 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (I also don’t measure this, simply add to taste)
- Mix with hands to make sure cauliflower is evenly coated with oil & spices.
- Evenly sprinkle on chopped white or yellow onion.
- Bake at 425 for about 25 min
- Remove from the oven and top with shredded white cheese of choice (I use raw cheddar, but regular white cheddar or pepper jack will work well also.) For a lower calorie version, either omit or reduce cheese.
- Continue baking for about 10 min until cauliflower is tender and cheese is melted. You can also broil at the end for 1-2 min for a little extra crisp.
- Remove from oven and serve onto plates.
- Drizzle with homemade thousand island dressing and serve immediately.
