Amazing Gluten-Free Cauliflower Rice
Recently I decided to cut out carbohydrates from my diet for a few weeks as a personal challenge. I believe that eating whole grains is absolutely important to a healthy lifestyle. But as an experiment, I wanted to see how I could handle substituting more vegetables for all of the grains. I got to thinking about why I always place a grain on our plates. Rice, pastas, tortillas, buns- what do these all have in common? They are what I like to think of as “vehicles”. We serve rice under a stir fry or curry, pastas for our sauces and tortillas for quesadillas. Often, they just occupy a spot on our plate to help fill us up. One night, while craving a side other than my broccoli, I decided to make an alternative to rice that would satisfy my need for some crunch and great flavor. Cauliflower Rice is a great way to eat your veggies and still feel like you are indulging in a grain. You can eat a big ole heap of it for few calories, and feel good about yourself afterwards. Cauliflower Rice is perfect for anyone with a gluten sensitivity or intolerance, or just trying to phase out less unhealthy grains. This is a perfect fake-out recipe for kids, or even veggie-haters. They will never guess what it is made of unless you tell them! Cauliflower Rice is also very customizable for any meal. Making Mexican? Add cumin and jalapeno. Indian? Try garam masala and coriander. Italian? An Italian seasoning blend would be great. Make it your own!
Ingredients
1/2 tbsp oil of your choice (I used coconut)
1 bunch of cauliflower, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 a small onion, finely diced
herbs of choice, chopped (I used parsley)
1/2 teaspoon each paprika and cumin (or your favorite blend)
salt and pepper to taste
food processor or very good blender
Instructions
1
Place your chopped cauliflower into the food processor or blender. Pulse until your cauliflower is very fine, resembling the size and texture of rice. This might take several batches. It’s ok if your cauliflower pieces aren’t uniform- it will all taste good!
2
Heat your oil of choice over medium heat. I used coconut, and it added an extra layer of flavor to the recipe! Once heated, add your spices and heat them in the oil until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. This is called blooming the spices, and it will bring out the essence of the spices and really make your dish pop. Use this tip in any recipe to amp up your cooking!
3
Add your onion and garlic and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes.
4
Once the onion is soft, add in your cauliflower and give everything a good toss. Turn up the heat one notch, letting the cauliflower to heat through for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Give it a toss every 3 minutes to keep the bottom from burning.
5
When the cauliflower is ready, add in your chopped herbs, give it one more stir, and serve immediately.
Categories:Sides & Snacks
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