I love food and Cauliflower hummus

Have I mentioned that I LOVE food?  I love the challenge of finding different ways to fuel my body through food that is healthy and tastes good. Today for a snack I whipped up a batch of cauliflower hummus with veggie sticks and almond flour crackers. I try avoid the traditional snacks like goldfish, crackers, chips, and granola bars. I enjoy thinking of snacks that will taste good, give me energy, and avoid blood sugar crashes. This doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the occasional binge on crackers, cheese, and dark chocolate, because I do.

It is hard to believe that three years ago I hated eating.  I was nursing Haley when she was diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. I was put on a strict diet since, at the time, Haley was still refusing solid food (at 2 years old).  She was getting all her nutrients from my breast milk.  I was given a list of foods to avoid 100 % of the time including gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, corn, peanuts, all grain (excluding rice), oranges, and tomatoes.  I remember feeling like I never was going to enjoy food again. I ate to fuel my body and provide nutrients for Haley, but nothing tasted good. I remember feeling like being fed through a tube would be so much easier. Since any prescribed diet is hard to do 100% of the time, I occasionally cheated. Then I felt terrible guilt as a mom because when I cheated, Haley didn’t feel well and her runny nose would come back.    

Thankfully a friend mentioned a paleo blogger, Danielle Walker. I bought both of her cook books and immediately experienced a big sigh of relief.  For the first time in a while, I realized that I would be able to enjoy food again.  In her book, Danielle Walker shares her story about how the power of food changed her life for the better. I identified with her story.  Once I tried a few of her recipes, I was hooked! Everything I made was delicious and most of the ingredients she used, I could eat.  She introduced me to the world of gluten-free flours: almond, coconut, tapioca, and arrowroot, to name a few.  It has been life changing!

Fast forward a few years, and I LOVE food and eating again!  I have found many resources to help me on my food journey. For anyone who is in the midst of transitioning to a healing diet, and feeling a bit overwhelmed, alone, and not knowing what to eat or how to prepare it, know that there is hope.  You will not feel like this forever. Feel free to email me. I’m happy to provide resources and suggestions to make the transition just a little easier. 

Back to the cauliflower hummus from Against All Grain.

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower cut into florets

1 head of garlic, top one-third cut off

¼ cup melted ghee or avocado oil

sea salt and ground pepper

2 tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon pure lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon parsley (fresh is best but I used dried and worked well)

sweet paprika for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1.     Preheat the oven to 450F.

2.     In a baking dish with a lid, toss together the cauliflower, garlic head, ghee, and salt and pepper. 

3.     Roast for about 12 minutes until the cauliflower begins to soften.

4.     Uncover and roast for another  12 minutes until golden brown. 

5.     Squeeze 4 garlic cloves out of their paper skin and place them in a food processor with the cauliflower, tahini, lemon juice.

6.     Save the remaining garlic to spread on crackers or blend into dressing. 

7.     Blend until smooth slowly adding the olive oil. 

8.     Add more salt and lemon juice to taste.

9.     Transfer the hummus to a bowl and sprinkle with parsley and paprika, if desired, for a garnish. 

Enjoy!