Making Your Own Cauliflower Rice Is Too Easy—Here’s How to Do It
Convenience.
We all love it.
We all demand it.
I admit that I, too, am not immune to the desire for time saving products and innovations.
But (you knew there was a “but” coming now didn’t you?) I am convinced that in our quest for time saving and ease and speed, we frequently get into a “cutting off your nose to spite your face” kind of situation. Case in point—buying bags of cauliflower rice.
Cauliflower rice (probably) started its climb towards world domination in the early to mid 2000s. Not that it had never been done before, it just wasn’t yet “a thing.” Following the overnight popularity, we moved quickly to turn it into a convenience food because, well, we turn everything into a convenience food. That includes having a producer do the ricing, packaging it in plastic bags, and charging a lot for those little plastic bags.
RECIPE: Skirt Steak and Cauliflower Rice with Red Pepper Sauce
Cauliflower rice is simply cauliflower broken down into tiny rice-like pieces—nothing more, nothing less. If you have a knife and a food processor (or, really, just a knife will work) you can make your own in, literally, seconds. Chop some cauliflower, put it in the processor, pulse until it’s the size you like, and PRESTO.
Now, why would I try to talk you into doing that when you can buy a bag of pre-riced cauliflower? The price, obviously. And the extra packaging. And the fact that the more food is processed, the older it is, AND the more it’s been handled. And handling food, unless you’re the one doing the handling, is never the optimal situation.
I also “rice” broccoli, Brussels sprouts (trust me...you’ll never hate on Brussels sprouts again!), carrots… and the list goes on.
RELATED: Cauliflower Rice vs. Classic—Which Is Right for You?
Cooking these “rices” could hardly be easier. Just saute them in a pan with olive oil, butter, or coconut oil. They take far less than half the cooking time of full sized veggies. And any herbs, spices, or other flavorings disperse easily and completely. Plus, because of the rice-like size and appearance, your veggies can easily transition from the side of the plate to being an integral part of the main dish. I love vegetables, and have no difficulty making them the centerpiece of a meal, but I know some folks do. This way, you don’t even have to work at it. Imagine a large bed of perfectly cooked and flavored veggie rice topped with a small piece of meat and some delicious sauce. Not a totally “Meatless” Monday, but a lot closer than most of us get, with absolutely no pain!
RECIPE: Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole
The idea of riced vegetables gets me so excited, I’m about to try this method on some new contenders… like asparagus, broccoli rabe, turnips, parsnips, and so on. I’ll let you know how it goes.
