Baked Hummus & Feta Cauliflower Bites {Healthy New Year Challenge – Week 5}

Baked Hummus & Feta Cauliflower Bites {Healthy New Year Challenge – Week 5}

Feb 1, 2016 by Dara 2 Comments

When sports are on TV…really, any sport will do (I am equal opportunity watcher)…that’s a cue to bust out the snacks. Because I just seem to cheer better when I’m fueled up on finger food. This week, of course, it’s all about the Super Bowl, but healthy snacks are a focus at our house year round. After school snacking, watching sports snacking, post-workout snacking or just fuel-me-up-between-meals snacking.

And that brings us to our Week 5 challenge for the Healthy New Year Challenge

To recap, in Week 1 Liz and I focused on Boosting Protein at Breakfast to Fuel Your Day, in Week 2 we added in the challenge of Go Ethnic at Dinner, in Week 3 we challenged you to Try a New Lean Protein and Week 4 was all about reducing sodium with citrus.

THIS WEEK’S GOAL IS…HEALTHY SNACKING (for the Super Bowl and other times)

For me, the key to everyday healthy snacking is planning ahead. Vegetables cut up in the fridge, hummus (lots of it) on hand, fruit basket full, raw nut containers refilled and yogurt stock at full capacity (see 50 Healthy Snacks…100 Calories or Less). Typically, I try to get a dose of protein with my snacks to make sure that I curb the munchies until the next meal. Hydration is also key. Many times when I think I’m hungry, I’m actually dehydrated and a glass of water or cup of herbal tea takes the edge off.

When it comes to snacking on game day, things get a little fancier than a cup of yogurt or a handful of almonds, but I still try to keep things healthy. Some of our favorites: Mini Hummus & Roasted Pepper Phyllo Bites, Healthy Mediterranean 7-Layer Dip and Baked Chicken Ranch Yogurt Egg Rolls.

These mini baked cauliflower bites are being added to our list of favorites. I used a big dollop of Sabra’s Roasted Pine Nut Hummus for extra flavor, but any Sabra hummus will work in these. For the cauliflower, feel free to chop it in a food processor, but be sure not to process until it’s smooth. It should be the consistency of small grains of rice before mixing in the other other ingredients.

To see just how easy it is to make these cauliflower bites, check out this quick video:

Liz and I are so excited about all of the great ideas be shared in the challenge Facebook group. Come over and join us! Also, we’d love to see your #HealthyNewYear posts on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to tag Liz (@thelemonbowl) and me (@cookincanuck) on Instagram when you post a #HealthyNewYear photo, and feel free to share your photos, ideas and questions in the Facebook group. It’s not too late to join!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I’ll be sure to find it.

Baked Hummus & Feta Cauliflower Bites Hummus & Feta Cauliflower Bites…Great for healthy snacking or entertaining! 48 calories and 1 Weight Watcher SmartPoint for 2 bites! Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck Serves: Makes 24 Ingredients

1 lb. cauliflower, cored & cut into florets 5 tbsp Sabra hummus (such as the Roasted Pine Nut hummus) 1 egg 1 egg white ⅓ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Place the cauliflower florets in the top of a steam or a steamer basket. Steam until tender when pierced with a fork, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the florets to a kitchen towel and let cool for 5 minutes. Wrap the towel around the florets and squeeze out any remaining moisture. Transfer the florets to a cutting board. Chop the cauliflower until it resembles grains of rice. This can also be done in a food processor, but be sure not to over process. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir the hummus into the cauliflower until combined. Add the egg, egg white, breadcrumbs, feta cheese, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir until combined. Using 1 ½ tablespoons per bite (I used a cookie scoop for portioning), transfer the mixture to the mini muffin pan. Using the back of a small spoon, press down gently to condense the mixture. Bake until the bites are set and the undersides of the bites are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Gently loosen the bites with a small knife and transfer to a plate. Serve hot with the yogurt dip, if desired. Notes Weight Watchers Points: 1 (SmartPoints), 1 (Points+), 1 (Old Points) Nutrition Information Serving size: 2 bites | Calories: 48.4 cal | Fat: 2.4g | Saturated fat: 0.8g | Carbohydrates: 4.6mg | Sugar: 0g | Sodium: 132.0mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Protein: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 18.1mg 3.4.3177

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Sabra Dipping Co. All opinions are my own. This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!