Recipe Post: Cauliflower and Cashew Fritters

I think this is my new favorite recipe! Healthy and delicious--and not too difficult. You do need a decent blender and a food processor.

This recipe came from Vegetarian Times. I will tell you the spots where I tweaked it to my liking.

Cauliflower-Cashew Fritters with Red Pepper Cashew Cream Sauce

Serves 6

30 minutes or fewer

Ground cashews help hold together these oven-baked cauliflower fritters.

Fritters

• 2 cups 1-inch cauliflower florets
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup roasted and salted cashews (I used low-salt cashews from Trader Joe's)
• ½ cup Italian parsley leaves
• ¼ cup diced red bell pepper (I've done it with both red and green peppers--either work)
• 2 Tbs. corn flour (I didn't have corn flour, so I used garbanzo/fava bean flour)
• 1 Tbs. capers (I did not put capers in it, and they still tasted great)
• 1½ tsp. seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

Sauce

• 1½ cups Cashew Cream. (I tend to just wing it on my cashew cream sauce. I soak my raw cashews (Trader Joe's) for at least a few hours. Drain them. Rinse them. Then I just toss them in the Vitamix with some unsweetened almond milk until I like the thickness). 
• ½ cup jarred roasted red pepper, rinsed, drained, and diced ( I used more--close to a full jar)
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained (Again, I didn't use capers)

I also added some red pepper flakes to the sauce because I like it to have a little kick. The first time I made it I also added a garlic clove. This time I did not. I liked it both ways). 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

2. To make Fritters: Combine all ingredients in food processor, and pulse until ingredients are well-combined and no large chunks remain.

3. Use 1-oz. scoop or 2-Tbs. coffee measurer to portion Fritters onto prepared baking sheet. Lightly press down on each Fritter to flatten. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, flip with spatula, and bake 3 to 5 minutes more, or until browned on both sides.

4. To make Sauce: blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

If you just can't get into the fritters, you must at least try the sauce! It's so delicious! I used some leftover sauce over Mung Bean pasta. It was fantastic!

One more step toward total freedom (or freakdom)!

So I've told you about the 10 "Weird" Things I Do for My Health. And, I've told you Why I Quit Using Lotion. Now, I've taken another step in my journey to cut harmful chemicals out of my life--and to become less reliant on modern conveniences like the supermarket. I've gone poo-less.

Now before you start thinking, "Waaiiitt....that's not healthy, everyone needs to poo!! It's part of good digestion!" That is totally NOT what I'm talking about. I've taken the next step in cutting chemicals out of my life by giving up my shampoo and conditioner. It took me awhile to get here. I have extremely fine, curly hair that tangles very easily. I just couldn't imagine not using a conditioner on it. I would never be able to get a comb through it.

I switched to the organic products a few years ago. At least they are clear of the cancer-causing sodium lauryl sulfate--and don't have quite so many foreign substances in them. But they are expensive, and the conditioners really didn't do much for me.  I kept seeing recipes for homemade cleaner and conditioner and thinking, "I really need to do that."

So why did I finally do it? I bought a new brand of "all natural, organic conditioner" (I believe it was around $5 for a fairly small bottle) because I just didn't like the smell of the one I've been using--and I had an allergic reaction. A red, bumpy rash broke out all over my neck. That seemed like the sign I had been waiting for.

So am I just letting my hair get all greasy and gross? Of course not! Here's what I'm using now:

Shampoo: ~ 1 part baking soda to 4 parts water, and several drops of essential oil
Conditioner: ~ 1 part organic apple cider vinegar to 5 parts water, and several drops of essential oil.

I've been using this method for about two weeks now, and I have to say I'm happy with it. Sure it's kind of weird to not have lather when you wash your hair. But my hair feels clean and soft. And the vinegar rinse actually detangles better than the organic conditioners did.

Here's the best part:

Baking soda: $1.20
Apple Cider Vinegar: About the price of one bottle of conditioner
Essential Oil: You just need a few drops...so not much at all/

And this is probably about a six months supply of shampoo and conditioner.

Now, time to make a new batch of deodorant!