If I were to tell you to think of nutrient-rich “superfoods”, what foods would come to mind?
Likely, they would be foods vibrant in colour like leafy greens such as kale or dandelion greens and bright coloured berries such as goji berries.
But what if I told you cauliflower is just as much of a superfood as kale or dandelion greens?
Although white, cauliflower is a powerhouse when it comes to nutrient content. It contains vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, B vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.
Due to it’s high vitamin C content, cauliflower is a very powerful antioxidant and protects the body from free radicals. Additionally, cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, which means it contains phytonutrients that are extremely important for activating and regulating the function of enzymes that are used in the body’s natural detoxing processes.
With all of the health benefits that cauliflower provides to us, it’s no wonder why it is a good, grain-free alternative to regular rice.
Although rice can be a healthful food to some people, it can also be not-well-tolerated by others. Rice contains anti-nutrients called phytates, which makes it hard for our bodies to absorb the minerals contained within the grain. Brown rice is higher in phytic acid than white rice because white rice does not contain the bran of the grain, which makes white rice easier to digest. However, some people, particularly individuals who are sensitive to wheat, are at a greater risk of being sensitive to grains, rice included even though it is gluten free. (1)
So, if you’re one of those individuals who does not tolerate grains very well or if you’re just looking to boost the nutrient content on your plate, say hello to cauliflower rice!
In all honesty, this is my favourite side dish. It works as a great base for saucy dishes such as curries, Butter Chicken, or a nutrient-dense side dish to any entree.
I find that using the fine shredder of my Breville All In One Food Processor gives me the best results as it produces the most rice-looking cauliflower pieces and, since the shreds are so fine, it takes hardly any time to cook!
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Begin by ricing your cauliflower with your food processor, using the shredder blade.
- Once cauliflower is riced, set aside and melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- When coconut oil is melted, add cauliflower to skillet and season (liberally) with sea salt. (You may be surprised about how much sea salt you need as this dish will be very bland without enough seasoning, but start slow as you can always add more!)
- Cook cauliflower over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes or until slightly tender. You do not want to over cook the cauliflower as if it is cooked too much, it doesn’t mimic rice as well as it does when slightly “al dente”.
If you do not have a food processor, you can make cauliflower rice with a blender such as a Vitamix as I have in the past; however, it is a lot more work as the cauliflower accumulates in the bottom of the blender, which requires having to empty the blender several times throughout the process of ricing an entire head of cauliflower. Additionally, you can also make cauliflower rice with a cheese grater or a knife, which I have also done in the case of a power outage. True story. The cheese grater and knife method work well, but produce quite a mess! If you plan on making cauliflower rice frequently (like I do!), I highly recommend this food processor.
