Cauliflower Bagel BLTs

Can we all agree that it's pretty hard to improve upon a BLT?
I mean, the BLT is a classic combination that just works.
Smoky bacon, sweet tomatoes, a nice crunch of lettuce, some really good bread, brought together with a little mayonnaise love.
An awesome sandwich, really.
That being said, I’m here to kick BLT into another dimension.
Ready?
First off, let me introduce you to my latest obsession. Cauliflower bagels.
BAM! There you go.

Looks good, innit?
Can you believe that these bad boys are just made with cauliflower (a lot of cauliflower, actually), eggs, almond flour and coconut flour?
So easy. Super easy.
And good for you. Like they’re low carb with very few calories and zero gluten. Plus there’s a whole serving of cauliflower per bagel and a good amount of protein.

What’s most surprising it’s the texture, just like bread (okay, almost like bread).
And the taste, oh so good.
You know what’s even better? That when making these bagels you don’t have to deal with thermonuclear hot cauliflower rice nor squeeze the bejesus out if it - like in all of the recipes for cauli crust I post here. None of that hassle, I promise.
This time around, you just have to mix all the ingredients in one bowl, form into shape and bake. SIK.

BLT on cauliflower bagels...that’s where it gets exciting.
The classically American bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, just got healthier and tastier.
I put my own little twist on it to make it an even better sandwich and remind everybody what’s so awesome about the BLT.
Crispy bacon (not too crispy though, otherwise one bite and you lose the bacon), big slices of juicy tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, rich with mayo on a thick cauliflower bagel. It’s veggies (a lot of them) and meat in one bite.
Let me tell you guys, this is an absolutely delicious take on the BLT.
So hurry. Make yourself this great BLT. Because you deserve it.

Cauliflower Bagel BLTs                                                                                                                                                                                           Print this recipe!
Cauliflower bagels inspired by Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (should yield 3 cups of cauliflower rice)
3 tablespoons almond flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 tablespoon coconut flour (I used Nutiva)
2 free-range organic eggs at room temperature
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of ground black pepper
Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, minced garlic or minced onion for topping

8 slices organic uncured thick cut bacon
1 large ripe tomato, sliced
4 leaves crispy leaf lettuce
4 tablespoons mayo (make your own paleo mayo with this recipe)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange bacon strips about 1 ½ inches apart and bake 12 to 14 minutes until bacon is browned but not too crisp. Transfer to paper towel; cool. Halve slices and set aside.
In the meantime make the cauliflower bagels.
In a food processor rice the cauliflower florets (it should be evenly chopped but not completely pulverized).
In a large bowl combine 3 cups of cauliflower rice, eggs, almond flour, coconut flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Refrigerate the cauliflower mixture for 5 minutes - this will allow the almond flour and coconut flour to soak up some of the moisture.
Take out the fridge and give it another good stir.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with olive oil.
Using your hands form 4 even sized buns (squeezing the mixture so it holds together) and lay onto the lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle toppings and lightly press them into the top. With the handle of a spoon/fork/knife make a big hole in the middle of each bun.
Bake in the oven for about 16 to 18 minutes, or until it reaches a bread-like consistency.
Turn on the broiler on high, and broil for further 2 to 3 minutes until the top is golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack before peeling them off the parchment paper.
Cut the cauliflower bagels in half and spread bottom with mayo. Divide the lettuce between 4 bagels. Add 2 slices of bacon, tomato and drizzle with remaining mayonnaise, then top with the other cauliflower bagel half. Secure with a cocktail stick and serve.

Nutrition facts

One cauliflower bagel BLT yields 190 calories, 14 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs and 12 grams of protein.