Pub grub?

photos by me

I like to think of this dish as my interpretation of buffalo wings and fries... a bit of a stretch, I know. That being said, this does not taste nearly as healthy as it truly is- always a good thing! I baked the chickpeas (sans-oil) until they were hot and crispy, and then tossed them in good old-fashioned  buffalo sauce. My "fries" are clearly not really fries at all, but a surprisingly delicious cauliflower mash. It's very low in fat, yet just as fluffy and flavourful as mashed potatoes. I topped the whole thing off with fresh scallions, and the dish really had all of the familiar pub-food flavours that we all love- without all the bad things that typically go along with them! Paul and I had this for dinner last night and he agreed that it was super yummy and completely satisfying. I urge you all to try this one...

Buffalo baked chick peas with cauliflower mash
Makes 2 dinner-sized portions

Buffalo baked chickpeas

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed until they are quite dry
salt and pepper
1/3 cup buffalo sauce

Cauliflower mash

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup non-dairy milk
4 scallions, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees .Spread the chickpeas evenly on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy. Set aside to cool before tossing in the buffalo sauce.

Add the cauliflower florets to a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook until fork-tender. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook until soft and translucent. Drain cauliflower and wipe pot dry. Transfer cauliflower, onions and garlic back to pot with the milk and simmer until liquid has almost entirely evaporated. Mash or purée until smooth. Rectify the seasoning if necessary. Serve chickpeas over cauliflower mash and garnish with fresh scallions.

And there you have it folks, just an easy lil' weekday dinner that everyone will love. Wishing you all a happy Wednesday!