Cauliflower Nachos For The Big Football Game

One of my best girlfriend’s is a hardcore football fanatic… some people even call her “Football Monique.” Needless to say she’s hosting a party for the big game this year at her place since her team has earned it’s way into the championship. I won’t be surprised if the whole house is decorated in orange, but that’s another story for another time. The real story is Monique became a vegetarian in August and was a bit concerned what she should serve at her party. I told her not to worry, I would bring something for us non-meat eater to chow down on that would rival any other appetizer on the table. I’m a nice friend in that way. Since I was quick to get mouthy I wanted to make sure I could pull it off. I drove over to the market, where I found tons of cute football themed napkins and plates. I also found a beautiful display of cauliflower. Whoa… My head quickly swam back to a few nights prior when I had just devoured a plate of cauliflower nachos at a trendy restaurant in downtown LA. I thought let me try my hand at some cauliflower nachos. I grabbed 3 bags of cauliflower and I roasted them as soon as I walked in the door to prep the white florets for a bigger and better venture… The game day cauliflower nacho platter! A platter to rival all nacho platters far and wide! May the best nachos win… I mean team!

Ingredients for cauliflower nachos:

1 bag of corn chips
3 – cups refried beans
2 – cups cheddar cheese (grated)
3 – cups cauliflower
1/4 – cup black olives (sliced)
1/4 – cup jalapeño (sliced)
1/4 – cup tomato (diced)
2 – cups monterey jack cheese (grated)

Ingredients for garlic avocado crema:

3 – garlic cloves
1 – ripe avocado (peel and pit removed)
2 – cups Cacique’s Crema Con Sal

Directions:

MAKE THE GARLIC AVOCADO CREMA: Add garlic, avocado and crema con sal to a blender. Blend until smooth. Set to the side.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
Wash cauliflower. Then spread it out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Bake for 15 minutes. Set to the side.
Pour 3/4 of the chips onto a large cookie sheet. Reserve 1/4 of the chips to the side.
Dollop scoops of beans onto chips.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese over beans, and top with remaining 1/4 chips.
Add roasted cauliflower to the tops of chips.
Sprinkle cauliflower with black olives, jalapeño slices, diced tomato, and grated monterey jack cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
While nachos are baking, get a large plater and pour half of the garlic avocado crema in the center. Using the back of a spoon spread it on the platter making a base for the nachos.
Once the nachos are ready, transfer them onto the platter on top of the crema.
Drizzle top with remaining crema.
Serve while hot and enjoy!
Expect them to be gone quickly.