Cauliflower power: Former Baton Rougean’s line of crusts and sandwich thins comes to Louisiana

Former Baton Rouge resident and LSU alumna Jeanne David’s line of pizza crusts and sandwich thins made with cauliflower is now available in the Capital City. Outer Aisle Gourmet produces “delicious, gluten-free, non-GMO, Paleo-friendly and nutrient-dense” bread substitutes, says David. Until recently, the products were only available in California, but thanks to a deal with Whole Foods Market, the veggie-based staples are now stocked and ready for easy weeknight meals here in Louisiana.

David says she was inspired to start the line by her own struggles with weight fluctuations and health issues. “My husband and I decided to make a shift in our diet to help resist the trend,” she says. “We took bread and sugar out of our diet along with the processed, empty simple carbs.” The impact was immediate. “I lost 18 pounds and my husband lost 30 pounds in six weeks … no more brain fog, no afternoon fatigue and no inflammation.” After those results, sticking to a gluten-free lifestyle was an easy choice. “We were committed to making this a lifestyle change.”

If you’re considering making a similar move, David offers this advice: “Toss the bread, use cauliflower instead!” Making a simple switch like substituting nutrient-dense vegetables for calorie-laden baked goods can help shed the pounds. As a vegetable, cauliflower is extremely versatile, and it retains a chewy, airy texture when baked, which makes it a perfect substitution for breads and pastas. And you don’t have to give up your favorite dishes when cutting the calories, she adds. Below, David shares a great version one of her favorites, lasagna: “I love our lasagna recipe that uses our cauliflower pizza crusts to replace the high-carb lasagna noodles. ”

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground turkey. Pour spaghetti sauce over ground turkey and let simmer for 20 minutes. Begin layering your lasagna in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. For each layer, use 1/3 of meat sauce, 2 pizza crusts, 2 cups cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella and 2 cups spinach. Repeat layers until all ingredients, except sauce and Parmesan, are used. Top with remaining meat sauce and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 40 minutes.