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Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Cauliflower the Other White Vegetable

Cauliflower isn't just for boiling and serving as a side dish with butter. It's much better when cooked in low-sodium chicken broth and garlic, then drained and mashed.

It's a great low-calorie and healthy substitute for mashed white potatoes. 

We've also roasted cauliflower and recently learned that it can be served as a white rice substitute too. This was great news as we've been avoiding pasta and rice in recent weeks.

It's not that don't enjoy those foods, we do. But, carbs don't fit in with our current weight loss campaign, which is working, even if a bit slower than we would like. Here's a couple of easy (and delicious) cauliflower recipes that we've enjoyed the past couple of weeks and maybe you will enjoy them too.

Cauliflower Rice


This easy recipe is a triple header: low calorie, gluten-free, and diabetic friendly. It can be served as a side dish or as a base for other dishes, like stir fry or curry.
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Spices, herbs, or veggies of your choice
  • Food processor
  1. Wash, remove core and leaves, trim and coarsely chop cauliflower. Remove any brown or black spots with a paring knife. Chop cauliflower into small florets or pieces small enough to fit into your food processor.
  2. Process (pulse) until cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice. Put florets into food processor in batches. Don't over process or pulverize the cauliflower until it's mushy — you want a rough chop.
  3. Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add onion and saute until soft. If adding other dice vegetables include with onion.
  4. Raise heat to medium-high. Add cauliflower to frying pan. Cover and cook approx. 5-6 minutes, stirring often until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on outside, but tender on inside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add-ins to Cauliflower Rice

Curried: add 1 TBSP turmeric or curry powder
Herbed: add 1/4 C fresh basil, parsley, green onion or other herbs of your choice
Spanish: cook cauliflower then add 8 oz. can of chopped tomatoes and hot sauce
Vegetable: add favorite diced veggies, sauteed with onions
Lemon: add lemon zest and lemon juice

Roasted Cauliflower
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
  • 1 TBSP lemon juice (or half a lemon)
  • Olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Lightly oil a large roasting pan or baking sheet. Cut cauliflower into florets and place in a bowl. Toss with minced garlic. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil and toss so that florets are lightly coated with oil.
  2. Spread florets in a single layer on roasting pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Place cauliflower in hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Use a fork to test for doneness; tines should easily pierce cauliflower when done.
  4. Remove cauliflower from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. 

10 comments:

MadSnapper said...

we love the mashed cauliflower, i learned it in weight watchers back in the late 70's and i also learned to make potato soup but use cauliflower instead. we had the soup last week. i added one small potato to the whole cauliflower. yum

Doris said...

I do love cauliflower but have never tried making it either of these ways. Sound wonderful!
Have a wonderful day!

Cheryl @ TFD said...

I love roasted cauliflower and broccoli together. Yum! I'll have to try the cauliflower rice, it sounds good. Thanks for sharing your recipes!

Lois Evensen said...

The roasted cauliflower looks delish!

Emma Springfield said...

I prefer cooked cauliflower to raw. Steamed with lemon butter is a favorite.

William Kendall said...

My mother would often add a white sauce or a cheese sauce to cauliflower.

Country Gal said...

I steam all my veggies when it come's to cooking them the steaming keeps the nutrients in them that's if they aren't to be in a stew or soup .
we use a cheese sauce on cauliflower if it is to be the only veg at the time . I love cauliflower raw to in veggie tray with dip YUMMY ! Thanks for sharing , looks good , Have a good day !

Anvilcloud said...

I don't love cauliflower, but when Sue roasts a head with mayo and cheese, it's pretty good. I also have a soup recipe that I quite like.

Connie said...

Thanks for the recipes. I've made the cauliflower "mashed potatoes" before and enjoyed them.

Anonymous said...

We love cauliflower any way you prepare it! Your trees near your home sure are colorful this Autumn. GA has had a lot of rain and our colors have not been too vibrant this year. I have up a new post after many months off. Stop by when you can and have a wonderful day.