Cauliflower Rice with a Twist

Cauliflower and herbs as a substitute for Rice

Congratulations to whoever came up with using Cauliflower as a substitute for Rice.  You are a genius!  We don't normally eat a lot of rice because when Amy and Josh were little, rice was kind of forced on them (not by me!).   As I have said before, I grew up on a dairy farm where we had meat and potatoes.  I don't think I had rice until I was in my 20s, when I had my first Chinese meal with fried rice, so of course, the kids wanted what I grew up eating.   My ex insisted on having rice for almost every meal.   I mean rice with Thanksgiving, I don't think so, not in the mid-west!  As adults, Amy and Josh now enjoy rice with some meals, just not those holiday meals!!!  

We purchased the best thing ever for rice . . . an electric rice steamer (we call it the no-stress rice maker).  Not that rice is hard to make but the electric rice cooker lets you "set it and forget it" and 15 minutes later you have perfect rice.  If your main course has a lot of calories, one way to cut back is with Cauliflower rice.  Sometimes, you just want it all...The high-calorie main AND rice. Cauliflower rice is a great way to cut calories.

Cauliflower rice vs sticky rice

So, we have found making cauliflower rice over our favorite Jasmine or Japanese sticky rice works well and saves calories.  Plus, having cauliflower rice adds more servings of vegetables to your day.

Cauliflower Rice is surprisingly delicious, very easy to make, low in calories, and gluten-free.

The "rice" cooks very quickly and you CAN'T leave the cooktop on high and walk away, to say...chop cilantro.  It burns fast!  However, the second attempt was perfect.  Some recipes for cauliflower rice say to drain the cauliflower in cheesecloth or kitchen towel.  We found that step was not necessary in fact the rice is better if you don't drain.  From start to finish Cauliflower rice takes 10 minutes.

Preparing the Cauliflower

Grating cauliflower is a simple process that requires a box grater (the same one you use for cheese) or a food processor with a cheese grater blade attachment. Either tool will work, and the end result should be small pieces of cauliflower, similar in size to rice.

It's more cost-effective to buy a whole head of cauliflower than to purchase pre-packaged frozen rice. However, pre-packaged grated cauliflower is a fast and convenient option that can be ready in just 5 minutes. Keep in mind that pre-packaged grated cauliflower needs to be used within a few days of purchase, unless you buy the frozen packages. 

Pre-packaged grated cauliflower is fast and can be ready in 5 minutes.   The pre-packaged grated option works well as long as you use it within a few days of when you purchased it unless you buy the frozen packages.  I don't like to buy the already grated cauliflower because I like to rinse it, and I want to know how it was shredded.  Yes!  I'm showing my OCD!

I love serving this rice with Grilled Salmon, Curry chicken, and grilled steaks.  Oh and as a stuffing for Portobello mushrooms.

In summary, cauliflower rice is a great option and if paired with a flavorful sauce or herbs, it can be difficult to distinguish from traditional rice. However, mashed potatoes will always hold a special place in my heart. It's amazing to find a dish as delicious as cauliflower rice and there is only 25 calories in 1 cup compared to 206 calories in 1 cup of white rice!