Cauliflower rice is everywhere. It’s becoming a popular trend not only for the health-focused population but also households that are trying to introduce more vegetables into their diet. First of all, the rise of low carb diets, such as Paleo and keto, has encouraged people to look for substitutes for their favourite meals. So, of course, you grab for a pack of cauliflower rice at your local grocery shop. It’s easy, simple, and packed with goodness. What’s not to like?
If you jumped on the cauliflower rice bandwagon early, you are probably wondering how to make cauliflower a part of your everyday diet without making it dull. There are only so many times you can have a plate of cauli rice. Here are 5 ideas to make it more exciting.
As A Flour Substitute
Individuals who have been actively trying to take gluten off their diets will already be familiar with this trick. You can turn ground cauliflower into a superb flour substitute for pizza crust and homemade bechamel sauce. Gluten-conscious diets encourage any alternative to the typical flour-based recipes. Coconut and chestnut flours are some of the most common choices, but they can get expensive. You can easily make your cauliflower flour by throwing a raw head into your food processor.
In Salads
Do you love a good tabouli salad? The iconic Mediterranean salad is a delicious mix of flavours and textures. The typîcal tabouli (or tabbouleh, depending on spelling) salad contains fine bulgur. You can also use very fine couscous grain. But when you’re in a pinch with no bulgar bag at home, you can swap it for a cauliflower head. Take a look at this cauliflower salad recipe that uses a coarsely ground cauli head to replace bulgur. It’s a lot quicker to prepare as there’s no need to soak the grains before making the salad.
As A Grilled Cauli Steak
Cauliflower has appeared in many restaurants over the years as a substitute for meat. You will more than likely find a prepared pack of cauli steaks covered in seasoning in your local supermarket. If you fancy a simple approach where you’re in charge of the sauce and spices, all you need is a grilling pan (or an oven) and some best practice cutting tips. If you’re cutting cauliflower steaks, you need to keep the steam facing upward and slide off the small sides. You’ll be left with the core, approximately 2-inch-thick, which makes two deliciously juicy slices of cauli steak. Reserve the small sides for other cauli recipes.
As A Snack
Those cauli sides you’ve put aside can be turned into yummy, nutty snacks for a relaxed evening. Cut them into florets and grill in the oven with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. Let the floret go brown and crisp for that inimitable nutty flavour.
As A Full Dish
There’s nothing dull about a full cauliflower head dish. Plenty of vegetarian Indian curry recipes make it a main ingredient for a feast fit for a king. You can add your own oven-baked chickpea poppadoms for a full gluten-free experience. Or you can simply go with the classic cheesy cauliflower head and bechamel sauce. There’s something so comforting about all that gooeyness in winter!
Are you bored with your cauli rice? There are many more ways to turn a cauliflower head into an exciting dish that is full of flavours and fun. Hopefully, these 5 tips can get you out of the cooking rut!
*collaborative post
