One of the main reasons why I started this blog, was that I always struggled to find healthy finger foods and snacks that kids could have on the go. Most of them seemed either sweet or had only a tiny fraction of added vegetables, often dried and pulverised to give the product a longer shelf life. Some veggies like carrots, cucumber and pepper make a great snack just as they are and my kids have always loved broccoli, but being out and about a lot, I felt like we needed a few more options. Since most kids like tomato sauce, be it on pizza, pasta or in a tomato risotto, I decided to try a tomato based batter to coat these cauliflower wings and it definitely turned out to be the right decision. Both of my kids wouldn’t go near a cooked cauliflower floret on it’s on, but when presented ‘margherita style’ they can’t get enough of them. You can scatter some vegan cheese on top to make them even more pizza-like if you wish, I find they taste equally great with or without.
What you need:
24 small cauliflower florets – try to cut them into a similar size so they all soften around the same time
6 tbsp flour – I used white spelt
2 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp paprika
4 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp date syrup
6 tbsp water
Salt to taste
Handful of grated vegan mozzarella – optional
How you do it:
Preheat your oven at 150C fan (or 180C).
Cut your cauliflower into 24 small florets.
In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients – flour, oregano, garlic granules, paprika and a pinch of salt.
Add tomato puree, olive oil, date syrup and water, stirring everything until you get a smooth paste.
Taste and add a little more salt if necessary.
Dip the cauliflower florets into the tomato paste, add a little more water if necessary, although I find that they bake and taste best when the paste is a little thicker (I use a spoon to scrape off any excess paste and add some more in places that haven’t been covered properly).
Place the coated florets on a lined baking tray.
Bake for approx. 40mins or until the batter is firm to touch and the cauliflower feels very soft when you insert a knife.
Scatter the mozzarella on top while they are still hot and let everything cool down.
