Riced Cauliflower: Part I {Spanish Rice}
I’ve had a few questions about how I utilize riced cauliflower. This is actually one of my favorite things to cook with but I did not master it until a few years ago. You can certainly sauté it but I find it sometimes turns out mushy and more like steamed cauliflower. I love me some steamed cauliflower but it better be dipped in mayonnaise. And only Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise at that (actually has lots of healthy fats and low in phe).
In order to add texture to riced cauliflower, mix it with your favorite low protein rice. I prefer a 50/50 mix. This cuts the carbs by 50% and also keeps the dish very low in phe. Low carb and low phe do not usually go hand in hand, but thankfully in this recipe they do.
50/50 mix
Ricing cauliflower: I do this in my food processor. It is nice because you can weigh it first and then process it easily. Lucky for me, my favorite grocery store also sells riced cauliflower and Trader Joe's does as well (if I am feeling lazy...hehe). I do not suggest buying it frozen as it changes the taste slightly and it is not for the better.
My favorite way to prepare this mixture is as a one-pot meal with added veggies and flavor. Heat some oil, sauté an onion and then add the low pro and cauliflower rice. Mix well. Add as much water or vegetable broth to the dish as necessary to cook the rice to perfection. I usually start with an equal or even double the fluid to amount of low protein rice in the dish. I cover and stir VERY often. I add water freely as you can always remove the lid to cook off some of the liquid but I have never actually added too much as the rice seems to absorb it well.
Try it out and let me know what you think. This recipe is quite versatile and awesome for lunches. Some of my favorite riced cauliflower/low pro rice combos are paella, fried rice (recipe coming), and Spanish rice. Below is my Spanish rice recipe. Super low in phe and packed full of veggies. Let me know if you find any other ways to utilize the low pro and cauliflower rice mixture in a one-pot dish. I eat plain, as is or as a "burrito bowl".
Cooking tips:
All of my riced cauliflower dishes make very large portions. This is a massive recipe but I get seven servings out of it and it is one of my favorite work lunches. I love leftovers though so if that is not your thing definitely make a smaller amount. These dishes are perfect for work lunches and leftovers. If it ever seems dry add a few splashes of your favorite oil and vinegar salad dressing. I suggest Ken's Italian Steakhouse (full fat). This salad dressing is amazing if you haven't tried it.
I can guarantee that this will stick to the bottom of the pan (granted I do not use nonstick pans but I do think those will even stick to a certain degree). Good news; it will remove quite easily from the bottom of the pan once the rice cooks all the way and cools. Do not fret.
Exhibit A:
B:
I have not noticed a difference in flavor when using vegetable broth as compared to water for the liquid to cook the rice. Therefore, I skip the broth as an effort to save on the phe.
Unfortunately, it can be time consuming for the rice to cook all the way through via this method. It is SO worth it though. I actually crave these recipes when I make them.
In this particular recipe, I did not add corn or extra tomatoes. My favorite part of Spanish rice is corn as it adds a different, somewhat sweet flavor (or maybe subconsciously I know it’s the highest part of the dish…hehe). In this case, I was trying to save phe but ideally I would add ½ cup of corn and a can of diced tomatoes for more liquid or simply a chopped, fresh tomato. All of these are great options but of course, means more phe.
To modify for the rest of the family: I make turkey taco meat. Mix one (low sodium) packet of taco seasoning with 1 to 1.4 pounds ground turkey meat over the stove (Shady Brook Farm is my husband's favorite). Then, serve as burrito bowl with all the fun garnishes.
Spanish Rice Recipe:
715 mg phe total, 2521 calories total
Split into 7 servings which totals 102 mg of phe per serving (~264 gm/serving)
168 gm chopped yellow onion (1 c)
2 tbsp canola oil
92 gm green bell peppers (~.62 c)
534 gm riced cauliflower (~4.9 c)
450 gm low pro rice of your choice
102 gm black olives (25 olives)
250 gm salsa (16.67 tbsp)
5 gm chopped cilantro (.33 c)
Saute oil and onion in a pan on medium heat. Once translucent add in low protein rice as well as riced cauliflower. Mix thoroughly.
Add one cup of water. Turn to low and add olives, peppers, salsa and tomatoes or corn (optional).
Cover and let simmer. Stir often. I use a metal spatula and attempt to scrape the bottom layer off. Add more water as needed. If it has all cooked off but is not soft continue to add water. You can leave the top off at this point to monitor closely.
Once cooked through add in cilantro and fluff the rice. Serve hot as is or make into a “burrito bowl” with any desired toppings including low pro cheese, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce. Garnish with a lime.
