I’ve been seeing “rice” made out of cauliflower here and there on social media sites recently and have been itching to try it for myself because it sounds like a great way to switch out a grain in one of my meals and substitute it with even more veggies…my favorite!
Being grain-free, cauli-rice is a great alternative to rice for those living a paleo lifestyle, or for anyone who wants a low-calorie, lower-carb alternative to rice. Plus, the dish is super quick and easy to make, with no cooking required! Using raw cauliflower also yields you all of the wonderful benefits of raw foods!
But what’s so great about cauliflower, anyway?
This white wonder veg is full of boastful body benefits, including:
- loads of fiber, which helps to fill you up, stabilize your blood sugar, decrease your blood cholesterol levels, and keep your digestive tract moving along smoothly.
- vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that aids in your immunity, tissue repair, collagen formation, and iron absorption (cauliflower is also high in iron, so it’s a complete package!). Vitamin C has also been reported to be a “fat-burner” (1).
- vitamin K, which helps in bone development and blood coagulation
- potassium, a key body electrolyte and heart health promotor
- isothiocyanate, a sulfur-based compound that supports the body against disease (3).
- magnesium, a mineral that is known to play in so many of the numerous enzymatic reactions completed by the body on a daily basis
(that’s just the tip of the nutrition iceberg)
Below is my simple raw cauliflower rice recipe! You can certainly make it with just cauliflower, but I decided to take it up a notch and add::
- onions –> known for their antibacterial properties, onions are also a blood purifier and thinner, helping to clean the blood and prevent blood clots. Onions also have a stockpile of the antioxidant quercetin, which helps destroy free radicals (2).
- parsley –> a potent detoxifier, digestive aid, and diuretic! Plus, this tiny herb is packed with the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E as well as iron and folate (both very important for female and reproductive health) (2).
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Raw Savory Cauli-Rice
- 1 head organic cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 small cooking onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. black pepper (feel free to play with the amount of herbs and spices. I usually use herbs and spices to taste, and I tend to like them strong)
- put all ingredients in food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until it reaches a “rice-like” consistency.
* this works great as a side dish or as a base for a curry, a saucy entree recipe, or a stirfry!
*no salt and no oil required!
my Raw Savory Cauli-Rice, pictured here surrounded by a bunch of sauteed, curry-spiced veggies and some baked turnip “chips”
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Resources:
1. Sadia. “Top 10 Health Benefits of Cauliflower.” StyleCraze.com. 5 Sept 2013. http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/top-10-health-benefits-of-cauliflower/
2. Snyder, Kimberly. Beauty Detox Foods. Harlequin. 2013.
3. Stanton, Meredith. “Cauliflower: A Royal Health Boost.” WebMd. 2006. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/cauliflower-health-boost
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