Latest diet craze has people going crazy for cauliflower

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Once the dismay of some kids dinner plates, the vegetable cauliflower is now cooler than ever.

Chef Shayna Telesmanic, of the Young Chef's Academy, said, "Cauliflower is a great substitute for a lot of products. It's a craze that a lot of people are cooking with from rice cauliflower. I like to make whipped cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes, cauliflower pizza crust."

We caught up with Chef Shayna to show us how easy it is to make cauliflower pizza and whipped cauliflower from scratch. For pizza, chop or process your cauliflower, add cheese, eggs spices and combine and make the pie.

Over at Lassen's Natural Foods in Northeast Fresno, their cauliflower items are expanding with different varieties of pizza, crust, bread, and rice. They say cauliflower is versatile.

"It's kind of similar to tofu in that it soaks them up. It's a nice alternative to things like grains and starch and things like that," said Amanda Angle with Lassen's Natural Foods.

Those on Keto, low carb diets, or that have diabetes have been gravitating to the diet trend.

"It doesn't taste that different from your regular crust. The texture is a bit of an acquired taste, but once you put your sauce, cheese, your toppings, it's really no different," said Angle.

Shayna says her kids enjoy the pizza and the whipped cauliflower too. They even ask for seconds.

More restaurant chains like California Pizza Kitchen are starting to offer cauliflower options as well.

"I think demand is out there. The consumers are becoming more aware of what they want to put into their bodies. So I love to see to see restaurants picking up on the trend for consumers," said Shayna.

Time will tell whether the cauliflower craze sticks around, but for now, it seems to filling peoples appetites for healthy eating.