Cauliflower Tots

In 1953 two brothers who operated a French Fries potato business found themselves with large amounts of leftover pieces of potatoes. Instead of tossing the scraps into the trash, the brothers decided to add a little flour and seasonings to the mix. Presto! The tater tot was born. The word on the Internet is that over 70 million pounds of tater tots are consumed annually in the United States.

Tater tots make a great side with sandwiches and burgers, and they can also be used as an ingredient in casseroles (see Tatertot Casserole on this blog).

Cauliflower is almost as versatile as the potato as an ingredient. Cauliflower can be used to make a healthy pizza dough, seasoned to mimic chicken nuggets, or served as a vegetable. This recipe makes a two-person batch of cauli-tots. Homemade cauli-tots are healthier than commercially prepared tater-tots and almost as easy to prepare. Yes, you can substitute potato for the cauliflower and make tater-tots.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Ingredients

• 4C cauliflower florets
• 1/3C panko bread crumbs
• 1/4C nutritional yeast flakes (or 1/4C grated parmesan cheese)
• 1T ground flax seed (or 1 egg)
• 1/2t salt
• seasonings to taste

Directions

1. Steam cauliflower in a large pot. Drain in a colinder. 
2. Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until very fine.
3. Transfer to a dish cloth or cheese cloth and squeeze out excess water. If the cauliflower is hot, use a spatula or wooden spoon to press out the water.
4. Transfer the cauliflower to a mixing bowl.
5. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
6. Using your fingers, grab a small handful of the mixture and form into a tater tot-sized cauli-tot. Place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake the cauli-tots for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees (F) until golden brown. 
8. Serve with ketchup. Mix ketchup and Sriracha hot sauce for a spicier dipping sauce.