By Brandi Black, RHN
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Some dishes aren't the same without a side of rice- especially stir fries, sushi, and curries. But with a high carb content and lower nutritional value, you may choose to skip the rice altogether.
Now, you don't have to leave the rice out of your dishes anymore: cauliflower rice is a grain-free, vitamin and mineral rich, low-carb alternative to rice. Best of all, it's acceptable (and even encouraged) in most detox and weight management protocols.
Cauliflower "rice" is cauliflower florets processed into small pieces that resemble rice grains and then sauteed for 5-7 minutes. (Yes, it's that simple.)
With a neutral flavor and the light, fluffy texture that it yields when cooked, cauliflower rice can be substituted in most regular rice dish- such as stir-fries, rice bowls, lettuce wraps and curries. Cauliflower also provides more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients than rice ( 1)(2).
Lately, our favorite way to eat cauliflower rice has been with the addition of the amazing green superfood, chlorella. I hear you: algae may seem like an unlikely ingredient for a rice dish, but trust me on this one… the chlorella blends perfectly with the addition of ingredients like cilantro, green onion, garlic, and avocado.
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp green onion or chives, diced (optional
1 tsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
¼ Tsp Sun Chlorella® powder
½ avocado, diced
Note: feel free to add extra ingredients and toppings to this dish, such as garbanzo beans, homemade salsa, sauteed veggies, herbs, and spices.
Instructions
Remove leaves from the head of cauliflower and cut cauliflower into florets.
Place only a handful of florets at a time into a food processor, Blendtec or Vitamix blender, and process until pieces resemble rice grains. Repeat until all cauliflower is processed.
On medium heat, place coconut oil in a cast iron pan or skillet.
Add cauliflower "rice" and minced garlic to the pan. Stir frequently until golden brown. If you are adding extra ingredients, such as cilantro and green onion or chives, add it to the rice at the end of cooking.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in ¼ Tsp of Sun Chlorella powder.
Top with other ingredients of choice (such as avocado, garbanzo beans, homemade salsa, sauteed vegetables).
Author: Brandi Black, RHN