I adore roasted cauliflower. Tossed with olive oil, and salt and pepper, and left in a hot (425 F) oven for 20 minutes… perfection. And because they’re bite-sized, you can call them “Cauliflower Poppers” and feel like you’re having a real treat.
I also adore anything “mole” (pronounced “moh-lay”). The mole combination of chocolate and chili (yes, really!) is traditionally Mexican, and it’s my secret weapon in my veggie chili. In honour of the fact that I’m off to Mexico next week (for a ton of culinary adventures!), I thought some Mole Cauliflower was in store. I swiped the idea from Shauna at Gluten-Free Girl a couple of years ago, and I can’t stop making my cauliflower this way.
But really, what wouldn’t taste better with a little bit of chocolate?
Mole Roasted Cauliflower Poppers
Adapted from Gluten-Free Girl
- 1 cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. paprika
- 3 Tbsp. red chili flakes
- 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- pinch garlic salt
Preheat oven to 425 F, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for some reason, it works better than my usual Silpat-method).
In a large bowl, and using your hands, toss cauliflower with oil and spices. Place on baking sheet and roast in oven for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt (fleur de sel is a great choice here) and serve.
Kitchen Operas 
they look SO YUMMY
will enjoy while watching Opening Ceremonies!
That sounds really interesting!
Yum!
Wow, don’t these look tasty. You could almost eat em’ like popcorn! Cheers~
I love this idea! I’m a huge fan of roasted cauliflower too (it is among my favorite “veggie candies”) but I never thought about trying it with chocolate and chili before. I think this would work fantastically with mole paste, too, which they sell at my neighborhood market in Mexico. Going to have to try this soon!
Lesley – give it a try, you’ll love it!!!!
Now I need to know your favourite other “veggie candies”!!!!
Roasted carrots is my other big fave — I coat them with olive oil and salt and just a smidge of honey or agave nectar, and then blast them with heat so they’re kind of blackened on the outside, and softer in the middle. SO GOOD. Love roasted broccoli too, especially with it’s tossed with a little lemon juice, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Actually I’m a fan of pretty much any roasted veggie. Roasted poblanos are fantastic too, although I can’t eat them with the same wild abandon as I do carrots. 🙂
Mmmm, great idea, Lesley! I’ll give these carrots a go for sure.
And roasted broccoli? That blows my mind and sounds amazing.
(mmm, poblanos… great plan!)
I think I’ve got to get roasting!