Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

This Roasted Cauliflower Hummus is every bit as smooth, creamy, and flavorful as the real deal. It’s also keto-friendly and a fantastic way to sneak more veggies into your day. Jump to recipe.

Cauliflower has taken many false forms over the years as we attempt to “low-carb” everything to death. Most folks are just tired of hearing yet another way they can manipulate the vegetable into being something it’s not. One of the reasons cauliflower is beloved by many is how versatile it really is but let’s be honest — cauliflower is a lousy substitute for mashed potatoes and an even lousier substitute for pizza crust [don’t even get me started].  

While I may not get the cauliflower craze, here’s what I do get — navigating food intolerances. Which, for me, include legumes and garlic. Yep, I said it. Let us all grieve together…

My conundrum? I love hummus — my college roommate got me hooked on it many years ago after she returned from a trip to Israel. We’d pop over to her place for a snack in between classes and she’d spread hummus on bread and top it with cheese and place it in the toaster oven until the cheese was just melted. I have no idea what she called it, but it was damn delicious.

When I figured out my food intolerances many years ago, I realized hummus and I would have to part ways and to say their was a mourning process would be an understatement. Enter cauliflower.

This Roasted Cauliflower Hummus is a cauliflower cameo I can get into.

It’s not weird to dip your vegetables in vegetables right? I hope not, because this dip is every bit as smooth, creamy, and flavorful as the real deal.

You’ll notice the ingredients list in this roasted cauliflower hummus are very similar to traditional hummus — including lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and salt. It’s as simple as replacing the chickpeas with the roasted cauliflower and adding a little extra punch with one of my favorite seasonings - za’atar.

If you aren’t familiar, za’atar is a Middle Eastern Spice mixture made up of thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, sumac, and sea salt. It’s fragrant, herbal, and tangy — and you’re going to want to put it on everything. I picked up this za’atar blend from Amazon since it’s not available at my local grocery store but you can also make a batch yourself by combining:

• 2 tablespoons ground thyme [if using regular dried thyme, double the amount]

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

• 2 teaspoons sumac

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Store in an airtight container.

My tips for smooth & creamy hummus:

• Use a high power blender! If you’ve never owned a high power blending like a Vitamix — you truly don’t know what you’re missing. I have the Explorian E320 from Costco — it’s a great, budget-friendly option for those of us who don’t want to spend $700+ on our first high-speed blender and it comes with a 7-year warranty.

• For easier blending, start with liquid then add everything else.

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roasted cauliflower hummus

This Roasted Cauliflower Hummus is every bit as smooth, creamy, and flavorful as the real deal. It’s also keto-friendly and a fantastic way to sneak more veggies into your day.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into small pieces
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon za'atar
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided
• 2 green onions
• 1/3 cup tahini
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2-1 cup water
• parsley, olive oil, and za'atar for garnish
• crackers or flat bread and fresh veggies for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower on sheet pan, drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil, top with za'atar, and 1 teaspoon sea salt and toss to combine. [I know this seems like a lot of oil but trust me - the oil will soak up all of the roasted cauliflower bits and seasonings.]

2. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven and cool.

3. Pour 1/2 cup water into a high speed blender or food processor. Then add roasted cauliflower [make sure to pour in all that glorious olive oil], green onions, tahini, lemon juice, remiaining salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add water as needed for a thinner consistency or if it's not blending easily.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with olive oil, za'atar, and chopped parsley. Serve with crackers or flatbread and fresh veggies.

NOTES:

• Start with 1/2 cup water and increase as needed to reach your desired consistency.

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Don't forget to tag us @thenorthwestkitchen on Instagram when you make our Roasted Cauliflower Hummus!

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Sausage Egg Bites with Chimichurri

These Sausage Egg Bites with Chimichurri are my favorite go-to fat & protein filled breakfast! They are keto + paleo friendly and you can make them ahead of time and reheat them in the morning for a quick breakfast. Jump to recipe.

One of the biggest struggles for our family is getting in a nourishing + filling breakfast before heading out the door, so I’m all about having some options pre-prepped and ready to reheat in the morning. I make these Sausage Egg Bites on Sundays and we use them for weekday mornings — they are delicious, convenient and portable.

This recipe is a step up from your normal sausage & egg cups — instead of mixing all the ingredients together you maintain the taste and integrity [yes I said integrity!] of the whole egg and the sausage. The chimichurri — while optional — really elevates these Sausage Egg Bites. I’ve also served these at many a brunch gathering and they are a hit! Bonus — they are easy to make ahead so I can enjoy my company instead of being stuck in the kitchen.

The chimichurri sauce really makes this recipe! Chimichurri is a traditional Latin American condiment made of parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil that brings brightness to any dish -- especially for these rich + decadent sausage egg bites! And while you can technically leave it off to make this recipe even simpler...I'd think twice before doing that!

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sausage egg bites with chimichurri

These Sausage Egg Bites with Chimichurri are my favorite go-to fat & protein filled breakfast! They are keto + paleo friendly and you can make them ahead of time and reheat them in the morning for a quick breakfast.

INGREDIENTS:

For the egg bites:

• 1 pounds breakfast sausage
• 6 eggs
• 1 green onion
• sea salt to taste

For the chimichurri:

• 1 cup flat leaf parsley [1 bunch]
• 4 green onions, chopped [white section included]
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the egg bites:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Divide the sausage into 6 portions, and place each into its own individual ramekin. Use your hands to push the sausage around the bottom and up the sides of the ramekin, creating a “crust” for the egg to bake in.
3. Crack an egg into each sausage crust. For a scrambled variation, whisk the eggs before pouring in.
4. Top with a sprinkle of salt and a few slices of green onion.
5. Bake until the eggs are set, about 30 minutes.

For the chimichurri:

1. Thoroughly rinse parsley and remove leaves from stems.
2. In a food processor or high speed blender or food processor, combine parsley, olive oil, avocado oil, green onions, and lemon juice.
3. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and pulse gently until combined.
4. Reserve ½ cup to drizzle over sausage egg bites after cooled. Store remainder in the refrigerator for another use*.

NOTES:

• chimichurri is delicous on grilled meat & roasted vegetables, served over tacos, and makes a tasty salad dressing

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Don't forget to tag us @thenorthwestkitchen on Instagram when you make these Sausage Egg Bites with Chimichurri!

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