Healthy Popcorn

Roasted Cauliflower Popcorn
(Serves 4)

4-inch segment of a thin day-old baguette
1 medium head of cauliflower, washed
extra-virgin olive oil
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh red chile pepper, minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place racks in the middle.

Give the baguette a spin in a food processor until you have textured, not-too-fine bread crumbs. Trim the cauliflower. Get rid of the big stalks and stems and strive for uniform, bite-sized little florets. Little trees.

In a big bowl toss the cauliflower with a few generous tablespoons of olive oil and the salt. Toss until the cauliflower is well coated and then place it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. You are going to bake for about 25-30 minutes total. There will be some residual olive oil in the big bowl you used to toss the cauliflower. If not, add another tablespoon or two. Add the bread crumbs, garlic, and chiles. Mix.

After the cauliflower has been baking for about 15-20 minutes anything in contact with the pan should be nicely browned. Pull the pan out of the oven, rotate each piece of cauliflower so that another side will get some color, and then sprinkle the entire pan with the breadcrumb mixture. Return the pan to the oven and finish with another ten minutes or so. The cauliflower should be tender throughout and the breadcrumbs nicely toasted. Serve immediately, it really isn’t half as delicious after it has been sitting on the counter getting cold.

ENJOY!

photo: Indigo Goat

Healthy Mini Pizzas

Prep time: approx.15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 standard-sized whole wheat bagel, cut in half
tomato sauce
shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
toppings like diced green pepper, chopped onion, or chopped tomato (whatever you like)
seasonings like oregano, basil, and pepper

Directions:
Set the oven to low heat. Spread tomato sauce on each bagel half. Sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the tomato sauce on each half. Add your favorite toppings. Put a light sprinkling of seasonings on each half. Put your bagel halves on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the cheese is bubbly.
Let cool for a minute, then enjoy your mini pizzas!

Serves: 1

photo: JazarellaMozarella

Easy Yogurt Pops

Prep time: about 1 to 2 hours
Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients:
1 8-oz. container of your favorite flavor of yogurt

Utensils:
small paper cups
wooden popsicle sticks
plastic wrap

Directions:
Pour yogurt into paper cups. Fill them almost to the top.
Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup.
Using the popsicle stick, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup. Put the cups in the freezer until the yogurt is frozen solid.
Remove the plastic wrap, peel away the paper cup, and eat your pop!

photo: averagejane