When one becomes a vegan, one abstains from the use of any animal product, especially when it comes to eating habits. While it may seem impossible to many, some have embraced it as part of their lifestyle. For me, I enjoy a good steak too much to become vegan. For vegan-converts who were once steak-lovers, there are (thankfully) many ways to re-create delicious, meatless food that even existing meat lovers might enjoy!

Cauliflower Steak Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower , cut into ½-inch steaks
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• Marinara sauce
• Shredded cheese
• Sliced pepperoni (or toppings of choice)
• Fresh basil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 205ºC. Without removing the green leaves, slice the cauliflower into 1/2-inch thick slices around the stem. Only the part near the stem will become "steaks." Reserve the rest of the cauliflower florets for another use.
2. Lay the cauliflower steaks on the pan and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Rub them with your fingers to distribute the oil, then roast for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the steaks over and roast on the other side until tender, about 15 to 20 more minutes.
3. When the thickest part of the cauliflower can be easily pierced with a fork, add your pizza toppings to each slice. Turn on your oven's broiler and place the cauliflower steaks under it for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the toppings are hot and bubbly. Serve warm.

Cauliflower Steaks With Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

For the mushroom gravy:

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (or another variety of dried mushrooms)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms (or another variety of fresh mushrooms), diced (about 1 ½ cups)
• ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
• 4 tablespoons arrowroot starch
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari

For the cauliflower steaks:

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• High-heat oil or cooking spray, for misting
• Fresh parsley for topping

Instructions

1. In a large measuring cup or a small bowl, combine 2 cups hot water with the dried mushrooms, then allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a medium-size pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, fresh mushrooms and garlic salt, and cook for 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
3. Next, separate the dried mushrooms from the liquid (reserving the liquid for later), chop them into small pieces, and then add them to the pot with the cooked fresh mushrooms.
4. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the arrowroot powder in the cup with the reserved liquid and whisk until smooth. Pour in the pot with the mushrooms and broth.
5. Lower heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened, while stirring intermittently. Remove from heat, season with tamari and set aside to cool.
6. Preheat oven to 200ºC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a large sharp knife, trim the leaves from the bottom of the cauliflower and cut off the very bottom of the stem. Cut the cauliflower in half down the middle, through the stem. Take one half of the cauliflower and cut it into ¾ to 1-inch thick slices—you should end up with 2-3 steaks, with some florets falling from the sides. Repeat with the other half of the cauliflower.
7. In a small bowl, combine the thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Arrange the cauliflower steaks on the baking sheet a few inches apart and lightly spray them with oil. Sprinkle the seasoning on top, and then bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip them over and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, until light golden brown and crispy.
8. While the cauliflower bakes, transfer the gravy to a blender and blend until smooth. If you prefer some larger pieces of mushrooms in your gravy, be sure to scoop them out before blending. Pour the gravy back into the pot and warm over low heat. When the cauliflower steaks are done, serve immediately with warm gravy. Top with fresh parsley, if desired, and enjoy!

Tahini Miso Covered Cauliflower Steaks

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 heaping tablespoons miso paste (organic, if possible)
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
• ½-inch ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Juice of ½ a lime
• Pinch of sea salt
• Black pepper
• Optional garnishes: fresh chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice/wedges, black sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, nori sheet ribbons, and a drizzle of the extra tahini-miso Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Prep a baking sheet with a rack inside, this is key to make sure the cauliflower steaks don’t get soggy if they were cooking directly on the baking sheet. 
2. Slice the cauliflower head into 3-4 large slices (these are the steaks) about 1 to 1 ½ inches wide. Lightly drizzle each cauliflower steak with olive oil and place on the rack on top of the baking sheet.
3. In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, combine all remaining ingredients to make the tahini-miso sauce. — this should yield a thick paste. Adjust seasonings to taste.
4. Spoon the tahini-miso sauce onto each cauliflower steak and bake for 35-30 minutes at 200ºC or until the cauliflower is tender and golden on top.

Garnish with any of the optional garnishes, serve warm, and store any leftovers in a glass container. To reheat, put the cauliflower steaks in the oven for 10 minutes or until warm.

Though the thought of replacing actual steaks with one that’s made from cauliflower might sound outlandish, give it a shot! Who knows, you might actually like it. The next time you happen to have some spare cauliflower lying around, you'll have something else to turn it into instead of just stir fry!

References

https://greatist.com/eat/cauliflower-steak-recipes