Foodie Friday : Buffalo cauliflower

Welcome to WEST's first installment of Foodie Friday. Curious as to what WESTies are making outside the craft room? Step into Caitlin (Real Swanky)'s tiny, wood-paneled kitchen to see what's cooking.

A vegan alternative to Buffalo wings, I've made up these spicy coated cauliflower bits that are sure to kick you in the mouth. Make these with chickpea flour, or another flour alternative for a gluten-free version.

Ingredients

Batter base:
1 cup water or milk alternative
1 cup flour or flour alternative

Seasonings:
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder 

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into two-bite pieces.

Sauce:
3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce, or similar buffalo-style sauce
2 tbsp margarine (melt first)

-Preheat oven to 450F. Spray or grease a glass baking dish (9x13 or so will do).

-Create your batter by combining all dry ingredients first, then add in the water. 

-Coat your cauliflower pieces in the batter and place in baking dish.

-Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and pour your sauce over the pieces, roll about to coat evenly. Bake for another 5 minutes. Once ready, let cool for 5-10 minutes.

-Great with a side of dip, carrot sticks and celery, on a bed of rice, or alongside curried noodles/quinoa.

Interested in more recipes like this? Check out my blog

The Hardcore Herbivore !

WEST Sale III -- When WESTies Create Together. .

Take 4 creative WESTies, add a huge piece of muslin, fabric scraps, a large board room table and what do you get?

A new WEST banner!

Want to see it? Join us on May 4 for the unveiling!

Special thanks to Caitlin (realswanky), Emily (emmsgems) and Ashlee(smashknits) for making this happen!

Ruth (periwinkledzyns) - WEST captain

Out of the earth, and into the fire

This expression as I read it, was making a reference to the pottery process, but I think it applies to all those who feel the desire and compulsion to create something from raw materials and make it their own. Sometimes they are willing to take the risk to venture into the marketplace and face the slings of arrows of public critique which can be very harsh at times. 

It is endlessly rewarding when a person sees something we make and it resonates with them enough for them to  make a purchase for themselves or someone in their circle.  It is also equally painful when people look at our work, and say "my aunt took a class once" and "she made those".  That's fine, but you have no idea how many hours or revisions of each piece we have done before bringing it to market.  We are showing our expressions of creativity not to be measured against anyone else's.

I have a standard story that I tell about doing craft fairs where people come up to my booth of handmade pottery and say "did you make that yourself?".  I have come to tell that them that I do, I do not have "staff".  I think they sometimes just don't know what else to say.  I love watching when people have an appreciation for the time and devotion it takes to make handmade, so to all of you, thanks, You keep me doing this after more than 25 years.  Bravo to all those who are brave enough to venture into the marketplace, courage and determination as we go into the fall sale season.  We know why we do this, and what keeps us at it.  One piece at a time.