Step 1

These easy Cauliflower Breadsticks from the book Natural Baby Food are the perfect, healthy finger food for your baby—or for you!

Step 2

Dr. Sonali Ruder—physician, chef, and blogger at The Foodie Physician—is back with yet another great book! I previously shared Sonali's delicious Sesame Roasted Broccoli from her earlier book, Natural Pregnancy Cookbook. Well, this time, she's got the fantastic Natural Baby Food: Over 150 Wholesome, Nutritious Recipes for your Baby and Toddler. It's all about giving your baby a great start to good health by planning a healthy diet.

Step 3

And it's not difficult to give your baby the best food possible. Sonali offers loads of beautiful and simple-to-prepare purees, from "Pretty in Pink Raspberry Pear Puree" to "Turkey and Taters!"

Step 4

In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I didn't give my son any purees; we went the Baby-Led Weaning route and really loved it. Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) skips the spoon-feeding and goes straight to self-feeding finger foods. The great thing about Natural Baby Food is that it also includes a great variety of recipes for finger foods for babies and toddlers—so it's a great reference book, even if you do BLW.

Step 5

I don't have a toddler at home anymore but I do still love healthy finger foods! I decided to make the book's Cauliflower Cheesy Bread. It's an easy recipe, and packed with antioxidants and an array of nutrients. Plus, it's gluten-free, grain-free, and low-carb—perfect for many who follow special diets.

Step 6

Ingredients

Step 7

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds)

Step 8

1 egg (or 2 egg whites)

Step 9

1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, divided*

Step 10

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Step 11

1/4 teaspoon salt

Step 12

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Step 13

Marinara sauce for serving (optional)

Step 14

*I used shredded Locatelli Pecorino Romano

Step 15

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Step 16

Remove the outer leaves and cut it into florets.

Step 17

Place them in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is finely chopped and looks like rice.

Step 18

Transfer the cauliflower to a microwave-safe dish or bowl.  Cover and

Step 19

cook in the microwave for 10 minutes.  Alternatively, you can steam the

Step 20

cauliflower in a steamer basket or bake it in the oven at 375 for 20

Step 21

minutes.  

Step 22

When the cauliflower is cool, transfer it to a bowl lined with a kitchen

Step 23

towel or cheesecloth.  Bring the ends of the cloth together and squeeze

Step 24

as much liquid out of the cauliflower as you can.  I got about ½ cup

Step 25

liquid.  

Step 26

Transfer the cauliflower to a mixing bowl and add the egg, Italian

Step 27

seasoning, ½ cup cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.  

Step 28

Mix

Step 29

to combine.

Step 30

Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment

Step 31

paper.  Form the dough into a rectangle

Step 32

about 8 x 12 inches and ¼-inch thick. 

Step 33

Bake in the oven 15-20 minutes until cooked. 

Step 34

Remove the baking sheet and sprinkle the

Step 35

remaining ½ cup cheese over the top. 

Step 36

Bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted. 

Step 37

Let cool a little bit and then cut cheesy bread into breadsticks.  

Step 38

Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.   

Step 39

To order your own copy of Natural Baby Food, click here. I make a small commission if you

Step 40

purchase through my links—which helps to keep this blog running.

Step 44

I received a copy of Natural Baby Food for review and was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.