Oven-Baked Low-Calorie Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Latkes
Hanukkah – it has many faces.
On one hand, it's winter and chilly (well, a mild winter this year, right?), and all you want to do is gobble up latkes, donuts, and other fried treats.
On the other hand, every Hanukkah has the day after Hanukkah.
My solution is cauliflower and sweet potato latkes made with whole spelt flour, baked in the oven, so you can snack without thinking twice.
They are delicious, festive, perfectly moist, and completely provide that warm, holiday latke feeling without flooding us with feelings of "Oh no, this is delicious but full of calories"—honestly, you should clear that thought from your system regardless.
In case you didn't know, cauliflower is an exceptionally low-calorie vegetable; 100g of cauliflower contains only 25 kcal and less than a quarter gram of fat.
I don't know about you, but I'm personally in love—maybe it's the charming florets, maybe it's the delicate flavor that does it for me, but cauliflower is a permanent resident in my home.
Read a bit more about cauliflower on Wikipedia if you don't believe me.
A little about the cauliflower and sweet potato latkes
To give the latke low-calorie volume, I used a large, beautiful head of cauliflower and a little sweet potato.
The cauliflower provides bulk, is very rich in fiber, and has a mild flavor—in fact, it's not even noticeable in the latke.
I used sweet potato, which adds a gorgeous color, plenty of antioxidants, and dietary fiber.
To stabilize the cauliflower and sweet potato mixture, I used raw tahini and whole spelt flour. You can swap it for any flour you like, such as gluten-free flour, white flour, or chickpea flour. Go wild!
The seasoning for the latke is very simple: garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper. You can upgrade it however you like with things like sugar, chili, herbs, and more.
It will only do the latke good.
To create perfect latkes, I highly recommend forming them with wet or slightly oiled hands. This will keep the mixture from sticking to your hands and make your life much easier.
If you're in the mood for a sweet latke—simply replace the garlic and lemon with a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar. The latke will come out soft, sweet, and extra festive. Maybe I'll create a dedicated recipe for that, who knows?
Nutritional values for cauliflower and sweet potato latkes
One latke out of 40 (weighing 40g) will contain:
- 40 calories
- 1g protein
- 5g carbohydrates
- 1g fat
- 1g dietary fiber
Have extra cauliflower left over? How about vegan cauliflower patties?
Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Latkes
Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower medium-sized
- 1 Sweet potato medium-sized
- 3 tbsp Raw tahini
- 1 cup Spelt flour
- Juice from half a lemon
- 2 Crushed garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt/pepper
Preparation Instructions
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Wash and break the cauliflower into small florets
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Peel and slice the sweet potatoes
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Boil the cauliflower and sweet potato in a pot of boiling water until softened
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Drain the water and use a potato masher to mash the vegetables until a smooth puree is formed
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Add the tahini, flour, lemon, garlic, salt, and mix well until a uniform dough is formed
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Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
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Using wet hands, form latkes about the size of a ping-pong ball
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Drizzle a little olive oil on top
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Place on a baking sheet
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Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown
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Enjoy while hot!
Recipe Video
Notes
For a sweet version:
Replace the garlic and lemon with cinnamon and a tablespoon of brown sugar
