Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! If you’re looking for an out-of-the-usual meal for your Cinco de Mayo celebration, can I suggest making trying these crispy cauliflower tostadas with chipotle cashew cream? Along with having an excellent alliterative name, they’re a fun, spicy spin on a Mexican meal. Plus, because they’re plant-based, they don’t leave you feeling heavy and sluggish if you happen to indulge a little… Which I can pretty much guarantee you will because they’re delicious. Don’t miss the virgin Grapefruit Paloma too! Enjoy!

Crispy Cauliflower Tostadas with Chipotle Cashew Crema
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes
Inactive time: 1 hour
Serves 4

Ingredients

Crispy, smoky cauliflower:
1 large head of cauliflower or two smaller ones
1 cup of almond milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika (we used hot)
1 Tbsp. chipotle chili powder (or any chili powder you have on hand)

Cauliflower coating:
1 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs (A gluten-free version is available. Check your local supermarket!)
1 Tbsp. Sea salt
Avocado oil

Suggested toppings:
Sliced avocados
Sliced Lebanese cucumbers
Fresh cilantro
Red cabbage
Sliced jalapenos
Pickled red onion slices
Tostadas
Hot sauce – We love Jonny Hethering Essentials!

Chipotle cashew crema:
1 ½ cups raw cashews (Soaked in water overnight)
½ cup filtered water
3 Tbsp. chipotle in Adobe sauce
Pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (approx. one large lemon)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Mexican corn:
Vegan butter
Chili-lime seasoning
Fresh Coriander
Fresh Lime
We simply cooked up some fresh corn, slathered it with vegan butter and added the seasonings!

Directions
Chop up the cauliflower into smaller pieces.

In a shallow dish big enough to hold all the cauliflower pieces, mix the almond milk with the lemon juice and spices. Toss the cauliflower in the mixture, and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.

While you wait for the cauliflower to marinate, mix up the cashew crema.

Rinse off the cashews and put them in your blender. Add in the filtered water and blend on high until smooth. Add the chipotle peppers, lemon juice, salt, and apple cider vinegar. Blend again until everything is incorporated.

Set aside in the fridge. (Note: This makes more than you will need for this recipe but it will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.)

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take the marinated cauliflower out of the fridge. Dredge it in the Panko mixture and arrange the pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil and bake for around 35 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crispy.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

Virgin Grapefruit Paloma

For a tasty mocktail to accompany your tostadas, mix some fresh squeezed grapefruit juice with a dash of cane sugar, some club soda, loads of ice and fresh sliced limes. Top it all off with a salted rim and a lime paleta. (Basically, a Mexican popsicle.)

Recipe created by MH food editor, Erin Girard