Comforting Cauliflower Bread Pudding
Comforting Cauliflower Bread Pudding
Why not take everything we love about warm, cheesy comfort food and add some veggies, too? This savory bread pudding does just that. Kids love tearing up the bread, sprinkling in the cheese, and watching it all bake into soft, gooey, golden goodness.
While it bubbles away in the oven at home or in the cupcake maker in an SFC classroom, we’ll turn to a Sticky Fingers Cooking® classic: Massaged Kale Salad. Kids use their hands to squish and squash the kale until it’s tender and full of flavor. It’s a fun, hands-on activity and a great way to get them excited about greens!
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- chop :
to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.
- grate :
to reduce food, like a carrot, to very small shreds or pieces of the same size by rubbing it on a tool with an outside surface that has holes with cutting edges (a grater).
- knife skills :
Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls).
- sauté :
to cook or brown food in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.
- tear :
to pull or rip apart a food, like basil leaves, into pieces instead of cutting with a knife; cutting breaks cell walls more, so herbs can discolor faster.
- whisk :
to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.
Equipment Checklist
- Oven
- Muffin pan
- Skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Kid-safe knife
- Grater
- Dry measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Pastry brush to grease pan (optional)
Ingredients
Comforting Cauliflower Bread Pudding
- 1/2 lb bread, about 1/2 loaf **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub 1/2 lb gluten-free/nut-free bread)**
- 1 C milk **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub 1 C unsweetened dairy-free/nut-free milk)**
- 1 C vegetable broth **
- 2 large eggs **(for EGG ALLERGY sub 2 T water + 1 T cornstarch, stirred)**
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1 big pinch ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 lb OR 1/2 head cauliflower
- 1 C Monterey Jack cheese **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub 1 C dairy-free/nut-free cheese, like Daiya brand)**
- olive oil for cooking and baking
Food Allergen Substitutions
Comforting Cauliflower Bread Pudding
- Gluten/Wheat: For 1/2 lb bread, substitute 1/2 lb gluten-free/nut-free bread.
- Dairy: For 1 C milk, substitute 1 C unsweetened dairy-free/nut-free milk. For 1 C Monterey Jack cheese, substitute 1 C dairy-free/nut-free cheese, like Daiya brand.
- Egg: For 2 large eggs, substitute 2 T water + 1 T cornstarch, stirred.
Instructions
Comforting Cauliflower Bread Pudding
preheat + tear + grate
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Tear or cut a 1/2 pound loaf of bread into very small pieces or cubes and place them in a large bowl. Grate 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese and set it to the side.
whisk + pour
In a medium bowl, have kids whisk together 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, and 1 big pinch of black pepper until well combined. Pour the mixture over the bread and let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
snap + chop + sauté
Have kids snap off the tough ends of a 1/2 pound OR 1/2 head cauliflower and chop the tops into very small pieces. In a skillet on your stovetop, sauté the bits of cauliflower in a little olive oil with 1 pinch of salt over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft and a little browned.
fold + grease + bake
Add the cooked cauliflower to the bread mixture and fold everything together to combine the ingredients well. Add the grated cheese to the mixture and stir again. Brush some olive oil on the wells of your muffin pan and fill each one about half-full with bread pudding mixture. Bake in your oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through.
Hi! I’m Cauliflower!
“I'm a vegetable with a head full of flowers—actually, flower buds. I'm a cauliflower, and my florets (also called curds) are a tight bunch! They are often white, but you might see cauliflowers with green, orange, and purple heads. We also have a variety called Romanesco broccoli (they like to be different), which is green with spiral, spiky-looking florets! Cauliflower is a great gluten-free substitute for a pizza crust, and you can make a yummy, low-carbohydrate version of mashed potatoes with me, too!"
History
- Cauliflower is a cousin of kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collard greens, and broccoli. These vegetables (including cauliflower) are descendants of the same wild vegetable called "Brassica oleracea." Brassica oleracea is native to the southern and western coasts of Europe (find these areas on your map!).
- Over several generations, farmers have selected different features of the Brassica oleracea. From these selections, each of the original species' modern-day relatives was born: cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, broccoli, collard greens, and cauliflower.
- These modern-day vegetables are called cultivars. They are different varieties of the same original plant bred to have desirable qualities for human purposes—in this case, to eat!
- Cauliflower is quite a noble vegetable. History tells us that the French King Louis the 14th demanded that cauliflower be present at every feast.
- China is the largest harvester of cauliflower in the world. China produces an estimated ten million tons of cauliflower and broccoli per year.
Anatomy & Etymology
- The head of the cauliflower (what we eat!) is actually undeveloped flowers! It's true! Each flower is bonded to its neighboring flower so that together, they form a tightly-packed head of "curds."
- Cauliflowers can be purple, green, orange, yellow, or white!
- Cauliflower develops coarse, green leaves that grow in a rosette shape. The leaves are attached to the stalk, which is centered and sturdy enough to hold the cauliflower's large, heavy white head.
- These giant leaves grow up and over the cauliflower head to protect it. Cauliflower will stay white if farmers "blanch" it or cover the heads to shield them from the sun. When cauliflowers are the size of tennis balls, farmers cover them with their biggest outer leaves and tie them at the top. Farmers give the cauliflower leaves a haircut at harvest time and trim the huge leaves closer to the cauliflower head.
- If cauliflower heads are not covered as they grow, they will turn dull yellow. Yellow cauliflowers actually have MORE vitamins than white cauliflower because the sun has allowed the heads to develop phytonutrients or special plant vitamins. Heirloom varieties of cauliflower are naturally bright purple, green, or orange and are also high in phytonutrients.
- Cauliflower is a bit of a picky vegetable. It doesn't like to grow in too hot or too cold temperatures. It also prefers a very comfortable environment free from pests like insects (as we imagine, would most veggies and fruits!). Cauliflower is especially prone to insect infestations.
- The word "cauliflower" may be from the French "chou-fleur" or from the Italian "cavolfiore," which both mean "cabbage flower."
How to Pick, Buy, and Eat
- Cauliflowers are picked when they have reached the expected size and texture.
- When buying cauliflower, look for compact heads where the curds (individual florets) are not separated but tightly packed together. Avoid heads that have blemishes or spots on them.
- Store raw cauliflower in a paper or plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week.
- Cauliflowers can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled. (They're delicious pickled!)
- You can sauté cauliflower leaves in butter (just ask Nigella Lawson!).
- You can also rice cauliflower florets or curds by pulsing them in a food processor for a great low-carb alternative to white rice.
Nutrition
- One cup of raw cauliflower has more vitamin C than an orange!
- Cauliflower has quercetin, a pigment that helps protect our veins and arteries, the tubes that transport our blood!
- Cauliflower is high in fiber, which helps us digest our food.
- Our bodies are basically giant collections of cells. Every organ, every inch of skin, every body part is made up of millions of invisible cells that each have their own job in keeping us healthy.
- Antioxidants are nutrients that clean our body's house to keep our cells happy and healthy. Fruits and vegetables provide these antioxidants, and cauliflower is an excellent source, keeping our internal house clean and healthy
History of Bread Pudding!
- Bread pudding's history dates back sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries. Known as "poor man's pudding," it was created by English cooks to salvage stale bread. The bread was soaked in milk or water, sugar, butter, fruit, and spices were added, and then it was baked. Sometimes the mixture was housed in a "sop," a hollowed-out loaf of bread.
- A 1700s English cookbook, The Compleat Housewife, included two bread pudding recipes. Bread pudding found its way to America with the English colonists.
- Today, bread pudding is still made, but its current forms tend to be far more luxurious than their humble origins. Modern bread puddings often utilize fresh, gourmet bread, such as brioche, and may include expensive ingredients.
- However, it is still considered comfort food. The dish is made by layering bits of bread and add-ins in a baking pan and then pouring a custard sauce over before baking. The possibilities are endless because cooks can vary the type of bread and any ingredients they choose to add!
- Bread pudding can be either savory or sweet, although it got its name from the British "pudding," which refers to any dessert.
Let's learn about England!
- England is ruled by a Monarch, a Prime Minister, and a Parliament. Windsor Castle is the oldest royal castle in the world that is still being used by the royal family.
- England is on the island of Great Britain, along with Wales and Scotland. It is also part of the United Kingdom, which consists of those three countries and Northern Ireland.
- Did you know that there's no place in the UK that is more than 70 miles from the sea?!
- Stonehenge is a construction of immense stones that the early inhabitants of what's now Wiltshire, England, began building around 3100 BCE. The final sections were completed around 1600 BCE. Scientists are still not sure how or why they built it. One theory for its purpose is an astronomical observatory. It is very popular with tourists.
- Other popular tourist spots in England include the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Parliament (Palace of Westminster), the Roman Baths and the city of Bath, and the Lake District.
- London, the capital city, wasn't always called that. In the past, its name was Londonium.
- England took part in the briefest war in history. They fought Zanzibar in 1896, and Zanzibar surrendered after just 38 minutes!
- There have been several influential English authors, but perhaps the most well-known is William Shakespeare, who wrote classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet.
- English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee is credited with inventing the World Wide Web.
- The British really like their sandwiches—they eat almost 11.5 billion a year!
What's It Like to Be a Kid in England?
- Most schools in England require students to wear a school uniform.
- Sports kids play include football (soccer), cricket, rugby, tennis, netball (similar to basketball), and rounders (similar to baseball). They also play video games, watch the telly, and ride bikes or skateboards.
- Boxing Day is a unique holiday kids celebrate in England the day after Christmas, December 26. The official public holiday is the first weekday after Christmas if Boxing Day falls on a weekend. When the English created the holiday, it was the day to share the contents of alms boxes with the poor. Today, it is mostly a day off from school and work, although some small gifts may be given out to family and employees, or collected to give to the poor.
- English kids may have different names for everyday items also found in the United States. For example, a kid will call his mom "mum." Their backyard is a "garden." A big truck is called a "lorry," and the trunk of a car is a "boot." Biscuits in the US are closest to the British "scones," and cookies in England are "biscuits." A TV is usually called a "telly." Bags of chips are referred to as bags of "crisps." French fries, like those from a fast-food hamburger place, might be called "fries," but if they are thicker, like the ones typically served with batter-fried fish, they're called "chips" (fish and chips). Finally, kids call the fish sticks they might have for lunch "fish fingers.
Lettuce Joke Around
What kind of flowers should you NEVER give to your Mom on Mother’s Day?
Cauliflowers!
Lettuce Joke Around
This dessert isn't quite cake or pudding, and it isn't angry.
It's steamed pudding!
Lettuce Joke Around
Why was the pudding always happy?
It had a sweet disposition!
The Yolk's On You
What do you get if you cross a sheepdog with a rose?
A Collie-Flower!
Lettuce Joke Around
What happened when the French baker fell into several loaves of bread?
He was in a lot of "pain!"
Lettuce Joke Around
What do you call a cauliflower growing at the edge of a garden?
A border cauli!
THYME for a Laugh
What did the butter say to the bread?
"I'm on a roll!'
