Kung Pao Cauliflower

This is such a delicious recipe.  The cauliflower is roasted on one sheet pan and is covered with a scrumptious sauce!  The recipe comes from Jessica Merchant's How Sweet Eats blog.

Kung Pao Cauliflower  

Prep Time:  15 mins.  Cook Time:  30 mins.  Total Time:  45 mins.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3 to 4 cups)
• olive oil spray
• sea salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (You can substitute coconut aminos.)
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (It is not on plan.  You can use coconut aminos.)
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (You can substitute apple cider vinegar.)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar (I used 1 teaspoon Truvia Brown Sugar Blend.)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (I used Rumford brand, a non-GMO, gluten-free cornstarch.)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 handful of chiles de arbol (I didn't use them.)
• 1/3 cup peanuts, chopped (Peanuts are not on the Candida plan; I did use organic peanuts on the recipe.)
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• jasmine rice, for serving (It is on the Candida diet.)

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the cauliflower on a nonstick baking sheet and spritz it with olive oil.  Sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.  Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes, until just slightly crisp.
• While the cauliflower is roasting, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin, sherry vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, garlic and ginger.  You may need to whisk a few times to get rid of any cornstarch lumps.
• After 15 minutes, pull the cauliflower out of the oven.  Add the chiles and pour the sauce all over the cauliflower.  Toss well to coat all the cauliflower.  Return the pan to the oven.  Roast for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and tossing the cauliflower every 5 to 10 minutes.  This will depend on your oven - you just don't want the sauce to burn in the corners, but you want to give it enough time to thicken up between tossings.
• When the cauliflower is roasted with the sauce, remove the pan from the oven.  Cover it with the green onions and peanuts.  Serve immediately as a side or on top of jasmine rice.

Ready to devour!

This is really a delicious dinner!  The main thing I would stress in making the recipe is to watch the sauce as it is cooking on the cauliflower.  I would toss it every two minutes just so the sauce doesn't burn.  I think the next time I make it, I am going to double the sauce.  You might try that, too.  The cauliflower is such a healthy alternative for Kung Pao.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!