Friday, June 20, 2014

Creamy Cauliflower Rice.

My new favorite side dish. Whole30-approved!

For some reason, this week has been rough for me and it can't be blamed entirely on my lack of sugar or refined carbs or alcohol. Whatever the reason, though, what has been the most interesting is how I've had to deal with frustration or sadness or exhaustion over the last few days without being able to eat a bowl of ice cream or pour myself a beer.

On Wednesday, Alice was cranky as we arrived home, having whined the entire car ride from a friend's house. I was exhausted and my patience was wearing thin after a long day as mom and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to get into our loft, take off my shoes and make myself a lemon vodka with soda. And I wondered how I was going to resist the urge to abstain and stay true to my 30 days of whole foods eating that I've committed to.

And then, as we walked to our building, I realized the fire alarm was going off and we couldn't even go inside if we wanted to.

As we sat outside waiting for the fire department to arrive and clear the alarm (it was set off by construction dust), I had a few minutes to calm down and to think about why I thought having a drink (or a piece of chocolate or bowl of ice cream....or a fill in the blank) would truly make a difference in how I felt at that moment. Sure, any of those things would've probably taken the edge off and helped me relax a little but isn't that sort of like avoiding the real issue?

So I had a tall glass of cold water, I vented to Lee, and I took a few deep breaths. And mostly, I felt better. But I imagine that lemon vodka with soda would've helped, too.

And now for my recipe for creamy cauliflower rice! I could eat this dish every day as it seems to satisfy my craving for creamy pasta or fragrant rice. And it's versatile and so easy to make! Try it. And let me know what you think!

Creamy Cauliflower Rice (Whole30-approved! Makes 4 servings)

  • 1/2 head of cauliflower, washed and chopped into florets
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 5-6 mushrooms, diced (I used cremini)
  • 2 sprigs of a fresh, hearty herb (like oregano, thyme, or rosemary)
  • 2 tbs ghee or clarified butter
  • 1/4 cup mayo (homemade is best!)
  • 1/4 cup dry roasted almonds, chopped
  • Salt & pepper
  1. Over medium-high heat, put the ghee into a medium sautée pan, when melted add the onions and then a few minutes later, add the mushrooms. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the cauliflower florets until they resemble grains of rice (don't let it run full-power or you'll end up with cauliflower mush).
  2. Once the mushrooms have softened and become fragrant, add the cauliflower rice, a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper, and stir. After 3 or 4 minutes, add the mayo and stir. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid for 2 minutes, then add the fresh herbs leaving a tiny bit over for garnish. Salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Plate and then top with chopped almonds and remaining fresh herbs.

This side dish goes wonderfully with grilled chicken or fish (we've had it with Utah trout) or even by itself as a vegetarian meal (just add a few more vegetables like chopped spinach or red pepper before adding the mayo).

Happy weekend! What are your plans? We are going camping! So my weekend recap blog might be a bit delayed. I know you are devastated! ;-)

Weekly Workouts: Monday - With a sick kid... Rest day! Tuesday - CrossFit! 20 reps bench press at 80% (83lbs). WOD: Prowler Push! 7 sets of 100-meter sprint with 140lbs on the sled est day. Thursday - Trail run! Dry Creek to Downtown. 8 miles/1:18/938 ft elev gain. Friday - TBD. But I'm thinking a mountain bike ride.

Mmmmmmm.

2 comments:

  1. Yummy! Have fun camping. Let us know how it goes. xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've actually been wanting to try cauliflower rice. Thanks for the recipe, I'm going to try it this week.

    ReplyDelete

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