Well just amazed!! Used cauliflower rice in a stir fry instead of rice or noodles and I can’t quite believe how good it was. I actually enjoyed the chicken fried ‘rice’ more with cauliflower than I ever have done with rice or noodles! And feel so much better without the carbs!
Just looking forward to using cauliflower rice again soon
Hi All. Any suggestions on his to do cauliflower rice without a food processor? Really want to try it but don’t have the appliance.
Hi Caro,
You could try grating it. I’ve not prepared it this way but have read it on the froums.
I’ve fallen in love with cauliflower rice too. It is so versatile and can be given so many flavour twists – Italian, Thai, Indian. I’m getting very familiar with my spice draw and rediscovering herbs again. Have to admit, I haven’t tried cooking with it yet, as it is so scrummy raw, but I’ll give it a try soon for sure.
Hi Caro
If you’re in the UK you can buy ready made cauliflower rice in a packet! Sainsburys do it and I’m sure other supermarkets do too. Easier than grating cauliflower but more expensive !
SunnyB
Which herbs do you use? I guess some spices are better than others if you’re not cooking the cauliflower .
SunnyB
Have just seen your Italian ‘rice’ which looks really nice apart from the truffle oil which isn’t to my taste. Will give it a go.
I only added the truffle oil ‘cos I love it, but you could use olive oil, basil oil, garlic oil – possibilities are endless. Give it a go and enjoy!
Just found it in Foodland in South Australia. Was not cheap but was in the f&v section.
Just starting my BSD this week for the first time.
Got the recipe book and tried cauliflower rice for the first time too last night (really liked it!) but I’m really confused about the portion size – the book says “1 medium cauliflower will make 4 portions”.
But that’s so vague! I’ve seen a few online postings referring to 1 cup servings – do they mean American measuring cups?
Can anyone please tell me in grams how much cauliflower = 1 serving? And the calorie count? Pretty please…
Do you have a calorie/carb counting app or program? If not try Fatsecret.co.uk or .com depending where you are. If another popular one if myfitnesspal.com.
You will get all the information you need from one of those.
Good luck on your journey.
Tried it myself for first time yesterday. Good result from grating it with box grater though it was a bit of an effort. Accompanied by Peppered mackerel and sprouts. The whole cauli had about 125 calls as per cooked weight and I split it 65 35 with my wife. A really satisfying meal.
This is my first week on the 8 week bsd and at 4 days in I’ve lost 8.5 lbs, so a good start. I aim to lose 84lbs by next summer as at the start I was 281 lbs. don’t know if I will reverse my 15 year history of diabetes but should at least keep it under good control if, (strike out if) when I lose the weight!
I’ve found cauliflower rice in both Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, it’s with the microwave rice – so easy! I know it’s slightly more expensive but any reduction in preparation time make me far less likely to snack!
Waitrose also sell cauliflower mash – I didn’t like the first portion, then someone suggested heating it in the oven instead of the microwave – amazing.
I bought a purply pink cauliflower this afternoon!
I rough cut up the head, put it in a blender, cover with water, then quickly pulse 3 or 4 times. Pour in a strainer to remove water and then put it in the microwave for 5 minutes. Quick and easy.
Devil5care why the water since you strain it off after pulsing? I do in a food processor dry, works fine.
Natalie: without the water, the blender would not be able to chop the complete head of cauliflower, it would just chop the portion on the bottom of the blender and turn it to mush. A food processor is a good option, too – I just find the blender method really fast since I do the whole head at once instead of having to feed pieces through.
Interesting, I didn’t realise that water would help with the problem of it only blending the bottom half. I’ll try that sometime. But my food processor works fine as well.
I’m afraid I usually buy mine in supermarkets. They nearly always have it on offer, and you can pop a bag in the freezer if you don’t use it immediately. A bag of frozen cauli rice dropped into a soup is great. Mind you, if you look in the sales in January you will probably be able to buy a food processor and then save the extra money you spend on pre-prepared veg. However, if you take into account the price of cauliflowers and the fact that you are supposed to discard the stem and only use the florets, I doubt if the prepared veg is much more expensive.
Just a tip for the stem, slice it finely and add to stir-fry or soup. Waste not, want not.
I chop the stem and include it in the rice too.
I also cut up the cauliflower a bit before chucking it in the processor – floret sized pieces, but any large ones I cut in half. When I tip it out of the processor, I shake the bowl, pot etc and any large bits come to the top, and I return those to the processor for a second whiz – I don’t add any water. – but there s quite a lot of water content in the cauliflower.
When I use my mini processor (one of those tiny ones better suited for onions) there’s no choice, as it will only take smallish pieces (inch cubes max) – but I follow the same process, it takes two or three loads for a portion.
To make it look more attractive, mix riced cauliflower with beetroot rice (haven’t made it, Sainsbury’s sell prepared), or riced broccoli, or use a mix of conventional and heritage cauliflower varieties – you can get gorgeous pink ones, and a golden/apricot coloured one.
I also use the broccoli stem by ricing it in the food processor.
Agree that frozen cauliflower is convenient – and on special offer in Waitrose at the moment – the second pack is half price, so you get 2 kilos of cauliflower florets, no waste, for £1.80. I didn’t have room in the freezer, but the first pack was fine in the bottom of the fridge for a few days.
When I went to the market last week, they had Romanesco broccoli – the trader described it as Romanesco cauliflower, and apparently it also gets called Romanesco cabbage, minaret broccoli, and coral broccoli.
Google “Green spiky cauliflower” if you have no idea what this is! Weird but intriguing
I wondered if anyone here had cooked with it?
Frog: I’ve cooked Romanesco cauliflowers before. I chop into small florets, sprinkle with a handful of cheese (I like a strong cheddar), season and bake for about 15 / 20 minutes. It’s absolutely delicious.
Soooo yummy but quite difficult and expensive to get hold of here.
Don’t know if ^^that would need much modification for the BSD?
And of course, such a beautiful plant – the patterns are mesmerising!
thanks LadyGreyTee
I will try some next time I see it – the cheese will be fine – it’s surprising how much more cheese looks in volume when its grated compared to being in a block.
One trick to get more flavour in cheese with small quantities is to add in some Parmesan – doesn’t have the same gloopy melted cheese qualities , but the stronger flavour packs a punch.
I’ve been really surprised by baking and roasting vegetables, and the flavours it brings out. In a former life, I ate a lot fewer vegetables, and really only microwaved or occasionally steamed them. I haven;t tried roasting cauliflower yet – maybe that should be on the “to do” list!
I made a broccoli and cheese soup recipe the other day (you would probably love it!) http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/03/broccoli-and-cheddar-soup.html
You roast the broccoli before putting it in the soup. It was amazing, and kept well in the fridge.
Thanks for that soup recipe, looks great and I’m sure I’ll try it. I love a soup as the weather turns cold.
Today I made the roasted red pepper and butternut squash soup (from the BSD recipe book) and it was delicious.
I’ve cooked everyday from that recipe book and I’ve been really impressed with all of the meals, very tasty.