Something I Have That I Never Knew I Needed

The air fryer. It solves all our problems! Especially as a college student that isn’t a five star chef and doesn’t care to spend all that time cooking for just a meal for one. I mean, the combination of an air fryer and Trader Joe’s is *chef’s kiss*.

Who doesn’t love fried food. However, it does come with its consequences of having high calorie and fat content. As a result of consumers’ love for fried foods linked with a growing consciousness between diet and health, the air fryer has found its place in the kitchen. The household appliance was first introduced in 2010 by Philips and gained popularity by its ability to “fry” foods in a short amount of time with significantly less oil.

How has the air fryer become such a hit?

Of course, the air fryer has captured those individuals that love their fried food, but want to stay conscious of his or her diet. In recent years, you can find cookbooks with recipes solely for the air fryer, with concoctions ranging from appetizers to desserts. Another way this device has turned heads is through Tik Tok, the social media platform that has skyrocketed in 2020. Users on this platform put the air fryer to the test by trying unique recipes that go viral and generate hundreds of thousands of views and likes. Not going to lie, it’s how I find most of my air fryer recipes.

Truly nothing can beat the air fryer. Not only do they prepare a meal without all the oil and grease, but they are fantastic for the ease of cooking a wide range of meals with one piece of equipment. They create less waste than a conventional fryer and reheat food without the sogginess caused by a microwave. Voila!

Here is one of my favorite air fryer recipes: Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients

1. 1 head of cauliflower

2. 1 tbsp of olive oil

3. 2 tbsp garlic powder

4. ¼ tsp salt

5. ⅛ tsp pepper

6. 1 tbsp melted butter

7. ¾ cup hot wing sauce

Directions

1. Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces and toss in olive oil. Add cauliflower to the air fryer basket and air fry at 350 for 10 minutes.

2. While the cauliflower is cooking, mix the rest of the ingredients into a bowl then toss the cooked cauliflower in.

3. Place cauliflower back into the air fryer and cook at 350 for 5 minutes.