Cauliflower Rice Pilaf! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Farm, corn, farm, wheat, corn, corn, corn.

Yep, we’re barreling down the highway back home to Cincinnati. Goodbye Northwoods, Goodbye beautiful lake, towering pines, and rustic woodlands. Goodbye little family of ducks that has made their home on our dock. See ya next year.

gorgeously juicy tomatoes!

It’s always sad leaving a place you love. There’s a tinge of anxiety heading back into the hustle and bustle of life in the suburbs. It’s hard to explain life in the Northwoods – life is simple – not complicated. You don’t have to get all dressed up to go places. Simple pleasures up here consist of cold beer, Packers games, and spending time on the water. Yep. That’s it. No one is caught up in the latest iPad upgrades, political scandals, or celebrity gossip. If the news is important enough, it’ll make it up here…eventually.

what a plate!

So with the heartland blurring by outside my window, I’m looking forward to the future and the healing from my UC that continues to take place on the Specific Carb Diet.

such fluffy cauliflower rice!!

So last night for our last Northwoods dinner, I made a delicious meal. And guess who made another guest appearance? — that’s right — CAULIFLOWER! The humble superstar:)

wait…that’s cauliflower?!

Just a recap of all the wonderful things we’ve done with it: We’ve made a SCD pizza crust, and a “regular” pizza crust, SCD Cauliflower Savory Cupcakes, Cauliflower Tortilla Shell Tacos,Cauliflower Steaks, and now…Cauliflower Rice!!

catching some late evening sun off the lake!

Yep, I made a delightful Cauliflower Rice Pilaf! Perfect “clean-out-the-fridge” meal, as you can throw just about anything in the mix and it will be incredible!

And just a quick PSA on my Cauliflower recipes. In order for them to turn out correctly, it isimperative to wring out all the water after you rice it in the food processor. I usually get about a cup of water out of my cauliflower!!

Here’s what you need: (Serves one)

1/2 head of cauliflower, riced
salt, pepper and a sprinkle of garlic powder

1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tomato, diced (garnish, BED omit)
1/4 avocado, diced (garnish)

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 an avocado
1/8 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put your raw cauliflower florets into your food processor, and process until it resembles rice. Then, put your “rice” into a clean kitchen towel, or several paper towels, and wring out all the liquid. This is really important. I wring out about 1 cup of liquid! Then, on a parchment-paper-lined-baking-sheet, spread out your rice in an even layer. Spray with olive oil spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a tiny bit of garlic powder. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the top is starting to brown.

Meanwhile, “flash saute” your veggies. Put your green onion, snap peas, red pepper and garlic into a frying pan with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, and pepper. Let them cook for about 4 minutes, and then take off the heat. They will still be nice and crunchy!

Finally, make your dressing by combining everything in a bowl and mashing with the back of your fork, or putting it in the food processor. (I just used a fork).

To assemble, place your rice on a plate, and top it with your veggies, about 2-3 Tbsp of dressing, some diced avocado and your fresh tomatoes. Enjoy!

nice and toasty ‘rice’

This meal was wonderful! I’m telling you – cauliflower is on a roll! The rice was outstanding! By toasting it in the oven, it becomes wonderfully nutty! My mom actually thought I had mixed it with almond flour! And the texture was great — some “grains” were crunchy, while others were chewy — and it was all perfectly light and fluffy!

Gluten Free, Vegan, BED, SCD!

And the nutty flavor of the rice went marvelously with the crunchy veggies, which were coated with the tangy, creamy dressing! The juicy tomatoes provided just the right pop of flavor to finish it off. A truly delightful plate of yumminess!

right on!

Do you like road trips? How do you pass the time?

Until tomorrow!

A good chef's knife and my food processor are key to the recipe. Here are the ones I use and LOVE: