Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

After my indulgent weekend with Mother's Day and Cinco de Mayo celebrations, I am getting back on track.  I am SOOO close to my pre-baby weight, my goal is to at least hit that by this Friday if not more.  That means no more cheats until the weekend!  I found this recipe that totally gave me satisfaction for lunch today.  I LOVE those little boneless buffalo bites you can get from Buffalo Wild Wings, Chilis, Applebees, and probably a bunch of other places.  I was reading on Beachboy that each of those little things can be over 72 calories EACH.  When an order comes with about a dozen or so, that adds up super quick!  

These little cauliflower nuggets totally gave me the feeling of my favorite little boneless buffalo bites and instead of using the dressing suggested below, I just ate a red container of cottage cheese on the side in between the cauliflower to cool my mouth off.  It really was a tasty lunch!


Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Yield: 6 servings, approximately ¾ cup Bites and 3 Tbsp. Sauce each

Container Count:  1 GREEN and 1 tsp. (per Beachboy)
½ cup low-fat (1%) plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
6 cups cauliflower florets
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use
½ cup hot pepper sauce
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch, gluten-free (preferably GMO free)
2 tsp. ground chili powder
¼ tsp. ground smoked paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine yogurt and cheese in a small bowl; mix well. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Lightly coat large baking sheet with spray.
4. Place cauliflower florets on baking sheet. Coat cauliflower lightly with spray. Season evenly with ¼ tsp. salt.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
6. While cauliflower is baking, combine hot sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in medium saucepan; whisk until cornstarch is dissolved.
7. Add chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, maple syrup, oil, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt; whisk to blend.
8. Heat hot sauce mixture over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Set aside.
9. Pour hot sauce mixture over baked cauliflower (on baking sheet); mix well.
10. Return cauliflower to oven. Bake for 5 minutes.

11. Serve hot with sauce.

*Note on equivalents: Per serving, the amount of yogurt and cheese found in this recipe is not enough to count toward a day’s Red or Blue allowance. As such, these ingredients (and calories) have been calculated into the tsp. equivalent.

Recipe Source:  Beachbody