Spicy crunchy cauliflower tacos, lentil black bean burgers and more Daphne Oz recipes

The spring cookbook season has brought a robust lineup of highly-anticipated hits and the latest from Daphne Oz makes clean-eating approachable and delicious.

The bestselling author and co-host of "The Good Dish" shared a selection of recipes with "GMA" from her newest book, "Eat Your Heart Out: All-Fun, No- Fuss Food to Celebrate Eating Clean."

Oz, a mother of four, offers an approach for home cooks that strikes a balance to enjoy mealtime in a healthy way without missing out on flavors.

Check out her full recipes below made with no gluten, no refined sugar and limited dairy.

Spicy Crunchy Cauliflower Tacos with Ranch Slaw

Makes: 4 servings

"I dream about this dish. I want to eat spicy, crunchy Buffalo cauliflower topped with creamy goat’s milk Ranch Slaw all the time," Oz said about this recipe. "And, well, I kind of do. I predict a regular rotation in your future. Humble hunks of cruciferous veggies get tossed in rice flour and baked to light, crisp, extremely poppable perfection. And that’s before they get bathed in a bit of your favorite hot sauce—I’m a heat freak and there are a bounty of delicious options on the market today that avoid gluten and refined sugar. A word of caution: You absolutely must make double the cauliflower! Trust me, the first batch always wanders off before you’re even ready to serve."

Ranch Slaw
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon
Goat Milk Yogurt Ranch

Buffalo Cauliflower
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup goat or sheep milk yogurt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup gluten-free and refined sugar–free hot sauce, depending on how spicy you like it
Sea salt, to taste
One 2-pound cauliflower head, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
8 Chickpea Flour Crepe Wraps or 8 large Bibb or butter lettuce leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

To make the ranch slaw, toss the cabbage, cilantro, scallions and Goat Milk Yogurt Ranch in a large bowl until evenly coated. Set aside to marinate.

To make the buffalo cauliflower, whisk together the rice flour, yogurt, paprika, garlic powder, hot sauce, and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl until smooth. Season the mixture with salt. Toss the cauliflower florets in the batter to evenly coat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the florets, allowing excess batter to drip off and spread them on the prepared sheet pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown, cooked through and crunchy.

Char the chickpea wraps lightly on both sides. This can be done over a gas burner set to medium heat or on a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Divide the cauliflower among the wraps and top with the slaw. Serve.

Mediterranean Chicken Skewers

Makes: 4 servings

"Chicken skewers are in heavy rotation around our house. It’s easy to turn out a small mountain of them if you’re always feeding a crowd like I am, and leftovers are amazing over any salad, chopped into casseroles, or eaten straight off the stick for a quick protein snack. This variation is my favorite, easy blend of oregano, cumin, and garlic that pairs beautifully with just about everything, and the lemon juice keeps them extra tender and juicy."

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cracked coriander seed or ½ teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
Eight 10-inch wooden skewers, soaked in water
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Ina large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano, cumin seed, coriander seed, paprika, lemon juice and salt. Add the chicken, stir to coat, and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat or preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If using the oven, line a sheet pan with foil.

Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, allowing any excess marinade to drip off.

If using the grill, grill the skewers until charred on both sides and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side, until a meat thermometer registers 165 degree.

If using the oven, place the marinated skewers on the prepared sheet pan and cook for 14 to 16 minutes, flipping the skewers halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees.

Season with salt and pepper as desired and serve.

Lentil Black Bean Burger with Vegan Chipotle Aioli

Makes: 6 servings

"I grew up eating versions of these that my mom (who hasn’t eaten meat for more than forty years) would make for us, and I’ll be honest—even though I eat everything and love an amazing burger when it’s going to count—this is the kind of meal I could devour a couple of times a week and feel good about," Oz wrote in the cookbook. "I love that the beans are smooth enough to hold the patty together, but the lentils keep the texture game on, and the peppers and onion ensure the whole mix stays juicy. You can absolutely serve it in a collard wrap, sandwiched between a few thick leaves of iceberg (my personal favorite), or on its own with some ripe tomato, pickles (or pickled onions!), and a special sauce of your choosing -- I happen to love the sweet, smoky heat of the Vegan Chipotle Aioli both in the burger mix and as a topping. And of course ketchup (no sugar added) and mustard, because what’s a burger without her best friends, anyway?"

Lentil Black Bean Patty
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
3/4 cup finely chopped seeded green bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup French green lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup oat flour or almond flour
1 large egg, whisked
1 rounded tablespoon Vegan Chipotle Aioli (see below)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the burger
4 Collard Green Sandwich Wraps (8 leaves total; see below) or 8 large iceberg lettuce leaves
1/4 cup Vegan Chipotle Aioli (see below)
1 large ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 slices
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika and cook another minute. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Pat the mixture dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Meanwhile, combine the lentils and 1½ cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until the lentils reach room temperature. Pat dry using paper towels.

While the lentils are cooking, spread the beans on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes to allow the beans to slightly dry out. This helps the burgers hold together and the beans to drink up the sauce.

Place the black beans in a large bowl. Use the back of two forks to gently mash the beans so some texture remains and some parts are smooth. Stir in the lentils, cooled onion mixture, oat flour, egg, Vegan Chipotle Aioli, salt, and pepper. Divide into six ¾-inch- thick patties, about a half cup each. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes if you have the time, to give the flavors time to meld and help the patties bind together.

Options to cook the burger:
-- You can spray them with olive oil cooking spray and bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 375ºF for 12 minutes, flip, then bake another 8 minutes.
-- You can grill on a greased piece of foil, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
-- You can heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook the burgers until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. If you want to make them ahead, you can cook them and then freeze for easy reheating, or freeze them raw and cook right from frozen for a few additional minutes.

To make a burger, lay two collard leaves “head to toe” so they overlap to make one stronger leaf for rolling. Repeat with the remaining collard leaves to form four wraps. Spread a tablespoon of the Vegan Chipotle Aioli in a rectangle in the center of one wrap. Top with a burger patty, one tomato slice, and half cup iceberg lettuce. Fold the short sides of the collard wrap toward the center, and then, holding them firmly in place, roll from the long side nearest you over the top of the filling and continue rolling to seal the burrito. Repeat with the remaining wraps and fillings. Slice in half and serve.

Vegan Chipotle Aioli

Makes: 3/4 cup

Ingredients
3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 chipotle in adobo, seeds removed, plus 1 tablespoon chipotle sauce
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped
Juice from 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the mayonnaise, chipotle in adobo and extra sauce, garlic, scallion, and lime juice and pulse until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the grapeseed oil until emulsified and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Collard Green Sandwich Wraps

Makes: 1 serving

"I tip my hat to whoever first thought of using sturdy greens as tortilla wraps. Follow this easy technique to give yourself pliable, nutrition-packed leaves that make a tidy little breadless burrito to wrap around anything your heart desires," Oz wrote in the recipe. "Collards are great for their size and sturdiness, but you can try this with pretty much any large, leafy green!"

Ingredients
2 large collard green leaves, washed, stems removed

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Line a sheet pan with clean kitchen towels or paper towels.

Dip the leaves into the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds to soften. Remove quickly from the boiling water and place in the ice bath. When cool, transfer to the prepared sheet pan and pat dry.

You'll start with a single leaf connected at the top and with the stem removed. Lay that leaf on a work surface, then lay another “head to toe” on top to give you a stronger leaf setup in a roughly rectangle shape. Lay the desired filling in the center of the leaves. Fold the short sides in toward the center, then holding firmly, roll from the long side nearest you over the filling. Continue rolling to seal the burrito. Serve.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Eat Your Heart Out by Daphne Oz. Copyright © 2022 by Daphne Oz. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.