What do mashed potatoes, rice and pizza all have in common?
You can use cauliflower as a substitute for all of them! Cauliflower is packed with immune-boosting nutrients and cancer-fighting compounds. It’s full of vitamins, fiber and amazing explosions of life giving wonder. (FDA does not approve that message.) And it’s awesome at masquerading as other foods!
Cauliflower is such a versatile veggie. I love it in my favorite Indian dish, Aloo Gobi and I’ve even enjoyed it pickled. Lately I’ve seen it grated into small grain-like pieces to replace rice. I’ve been wanting to try this, but I was afraid it would be too labor and time intensive. Surprisingly, this cauliflower fried rice is pretty easy to make! It’s also delicious and had my family begging for more.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
gluten free/grain free/Paleo-friendly inspired by The Urban Poser
Ingredients
The Fried Rice
1 large head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or butter or ghee)
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 carrots, diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 lb of sausage
1 large egg, cracked & lightly beaten
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
The Sauce
1/4 cup bone broth or water
the juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon raw, local honey
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 pinch red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
Directions
Heads up:
1. The Urban Poser suggests using two woks/frying pans to make this meal. I scoffed at first because I didn’t want to deal with extra dishes, but this step is totally worth it. One pan is for frying the cauliflower, the other pan is for the other vegetables and meat. By separating the ingredients, there is less in each pan and it cooks more evenly AND it browns quickly and stays crisp rather than getting mushy from “steaming” rather than frying, which happens when a wok is too full.
2. Use your food processor!! I used my food processor to chop everything. It cut my prep time in half.
Ok. Here we go.
Break up the cauliflower into florets and then grate. This can be done either using a hand grater or using a food processor. If you have a grater attachment, even better. I don’t. I just pulse cauliflower florets until they are about the size of rice.
You can use both woks/pans simultaneously.
Wok/Pan #1–Cauliflower
Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil to the wok/pan and preheat over high heat. Add the grated cauliflower and sautee for about 5 minutes. Spread out cauliflower evenly in the pan so it will brown and not “steam”. Stir occasionally. Make a well in the center of the cauliflower and add the lightly beaten egg. Once the egg thickens a bit, stir into the cauliflower until the egg is cooked. The cauliflower will have egg mixed throughout the cauliflower. Add chopped basil and cilantro and fry until fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove from heat.
Wok/Pan #2–Vegetables and Sausage
Preheat another wok/pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sausage until almost cooked. Add the onions, ginger, bell pepper, and carrots. Fry the mixture and stir often. Spread the ingredients out evenly in the wok so it will all fry evenly. Vegetables should be cooked, but not limp.
Once vegetables are cooked, combine ingredients from both woks/pans together. Whisk together ingredients for sauce and add sauce to taste, toss to combine. Garnish the dish with chopped green onions and a lime wedge.
Enjoy!
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