Smoky cauliflower steaks with baked mushrooms (Vegan Keto, Low Carb, Paleo)

Today I’d love to treat you to one of my favorite vegan recipes from my newest book ‘Het Keto Plan’: smoky cauliflower steaks with baked mushrooms and romesco sauce…

… to celebrate that after 12 weeks, the book is still one of the top 10 bestsellers!

I am really grateful for all your support and sweet messages. It brings me so much joy to hear that you’re enjoying the recipes and that the book is helping you to finally break free from dieting and discover the true power of healthy fats.

Unfortunately the book hasn’t been translated into English yet but I’ve almost finished the English version of our ‘start to keto’ eBook!

I’m also working on an exciting new project that will answer all your questions about keto & intermittent fasting, and that will show you how to get started and teach your body to burn fat for fuel.

The ‘keto’ way of eating has had a great impact on my energy levels, sleep quality, performance and metabolism, and I’d love for you to discover the many benefits too!

If you have any questions about this way of eating, let me know by leaving a comment down below.

You’re also most welcome to join us during our upcoming ‘start to keto’ workshops at organic shop Origin’O (given in Dutch – Nederlandstalig). We’re coming to Bruges, Antwerp (Berchem), Aalst and Hasselt. Some of the workshops are already fully booked so make sure to reserve a seat. You can register right HERE.

One last update: if you live in Belgium and you’d love to try our raw vegan cheesecakes (not keto but free from refined sugars, 100% plant-based, dairy free ánd gluten free) you can now get your slice at Origin’O in Ghent! The cheesecakes are available per slice so you don’t have to pick just one flavor but you can try them all :)

Now on to today’s cauliflower steaks! A recipe inspired by the Cauliflower T-bonewe had at The Butcher’s Daughter in Venice Beach (Los Angeles), a fabulous veggie restaurant we discovered last year during our book promo tour for the launch of Vegan & Raw 2.

The cauliflower has a deep smoky flavor thanks to a generous sprinkle of smoked paprika. Here I topped it with baked mushrooms, arugula, garden cress, roughly chopped almonds and a Spanish red pepper-based sauce called romesco. You can serve it as a side dish or turn it into a filling meal with your choice of protein (such as tempeh if you’d like to keep it vegan, softly boiled eggs or a piece of fish). In case you’re avoiding nightshade vegetables or you have trouble digesting bell pepper, you can serve the cauliflower steaks with guacamole or pesto instead of romesco too.

Enjoy!

Love,
Julie x

Smoky cauliflower steaks with baked mushrooms and romesco sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower head. Trim the stem end but don’t cut out the stem because this will helps the steaks to hold together.
2. Hold the cauliflower with its base on a cutting board and with a sharp knife, make one cut through the center of the cauliflower to divide it in half. Cut each half into two 3/4-inch thick slices. Cut the rest in smaller pieces.
3. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil (or coconut oil/butter) in a large frying pan. Bake the cauliflower steaks on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side. Be gentle when you flip them as they easily break apart. Bake the smaller pieces as well. Season with smoked paprika, black pepper and sea salt.
4. Add a little water or stock to the pan, bring to a boil and leave the cauliflower steaks to simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, until tender.
5. In the meantime, slice the mushrooms and bake them until golden brown with olive oil, pepper and salt.
6. For the romesco sauce: blend all ingredients until smooth. Season with smoked paprika, pepper and salt. Add a clove of crushed garlic or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to spice it up. You could also replace the olive oil with MCT oil if you're just starting out with keto and you want to help your body to burn fat for fuel.
7. Serve the cauliflower steaks with baked mushrooms, romesco sauce, arugula and garden cress. Top with roughly chopped almonds or lightly toasted pine nuts if desired.

JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:

• I used ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika and a small ½ teaspoon sea salt in the romesco sauce.
• Don’t throw away the inner leaves of the cauliflower. Baked, they are really delicious!
• You can also serve these cauliflower steaks with other edible mushrooms such as enoki, shiitake, oyster mushroom…
• Look for a brand of tomato paste that is free from sugar and other additives. One of my favorites is Biona organic, available in organic stores across Europe & Australia.

Nutritional value (per person)

Total carbs 14 g Fiber 5,2 g Net carbs 8,1 g Protein 6,8 g Fats 20,2 g Of which saturated 7,6 g Calories 246 kcal

Macro nutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (20,8%), protein (7,6%), fats (71,6%)