Cauliflower Fried Rice from ‘Everyday Detox’
Every week, we’re celebrating cookbooks that serve up tasty recipes with your health in mind. Below, we’ve chosen an excerpt from Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore (Ten Speed Press), which focuses on crowd-pleasing but digestion friendly recipes created with all-natural whole foods. Try making the recipes at home and let us know what you think!
Photograph by Nicole Franzen
Cauliflower Fried “Rice”
Serves 4 to 6
This is my favorite dish to introduce to people who are new to healthier eating, as it tastes incredibly similar to real Chinese takeout, while being almost entirely vegetable-based. When briefly pulsed in a food processor, raw cauliflower becomes surprisingly ricelike and is almost undetectable when sautéed with aromatic garlic, ginger, and tamari. The fluffy bites of egg are my favorite part of any fried rice dish, but the eggs can be easily omitted to make this recipe vegan-friendly.
1 (2½-pound) head cauliflower, chopped into florets
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
6 eggs, beaten
1⁄₃ cup tamari
Sea salt
In a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade, briefly pulse the cauliflower florets into a ricelike consistency. Be careful not to overprocess, as you don’t want the “rice” to be too fine. (Alternatively, you could grate the cauliflower on a box grater.) Set aside.
Melt ı tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large saucepan or enameled Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, garlic, and ginger and cover.
Cook for another 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green.
Melt the remaining ı tablespoon of coconut oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and scramble until they are softly cooked and fluffy.
Add the scrambled eggs, cauliflower “rice,” and tamari to the saucepan full of cooked vegetables and stir well, cooking until the cauliflower “rice” is hot and tender. Season with sea salt to taste and then serve immediately.
Make it vegan: Omit the eggs.
Make it soy-free: Replace the tamari with coconut aminos.
Make it omnivore-friendly: Add high-quality meat to this dish for a properly combined meal.
More tasty ways to enjoy cauliflower:
