Now that football playoffs are happening, I thought it would be the perfect time to bust out my post on cauliflower wings. I actually made these over the holidays, but I’ve been so swamped with post-holiday work and life, I hadn’t gotten around to actually putting words to the pictures I took of this  appetizer wing-substitute creation. I actually was never a huge fan of chicken wings to begin with. There was something about eating around bones and eating skin that totally grossed me out. In college, there was a bar that had “wing night” – 10 cent wings with a bucket of beer for some ridiculously cheap price. Every time we went, the only way I would actually eat the chicken is if my best friend would remove the skin and take the meat from the bone for me. This should have been a sign that I would eventually transition to a full on plant-based diet. But despite my distaste for meat, I loved the spicy sauce that always accompanied the wings. It wasn’t until I saw a Daily Candy article about cauliflower wings that I realized I could make mock wings that would satisfy my love for buffalo sauce while also keeping meat free. And so, I experimented a bit and came up with these.

What you’ll need:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce
• 1 cup Sriracha
• 1 cup Earth Balance vegan margarine
• Daiya mozzarella shreds (optional)
• Parsley for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the stem off the end of the cauliflower, but leave the rest intact. Coat the cauliflower with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cauliflower starts to brown.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce. This actually makes more sauce than you’ll need – but I wanted to make sure I didn’t run short. Plus, having leftovers means coming up with more uses for the delicious sauce! (For example, Nikki at A Vegan in Progress made buffalo hummus which I can’t wait to make as well) But I digress…back to the wings…

Add Sriracha, Frank’s sauce, and margarine to a sauce pan over medium heat. Mix well until the margarine is melted.

At this point, the cauliflower should be done. Cut it up into “wing” size pieces and add to a separate pan. Pour sauce over the cauliflower and mix until the cauliflower is well coated.

Top with Daiya and parsley (for a bit of color) and enjoy! I must warn you, though, I was the only one in the house that would eat these. They were quite spicy – just as I like them. But a bit too much spice for some. If you’re not huge into spice, you could cut the amount of hot sauces and still be ok with amount. They were awesome, though, and a perfect appetizer if you’re looking for a healthier party option (or simply a weekend snack).