Monday, March 2, 2015

Cauliflower Fried Rice

I've been on a cauliflower spree lately.  It's one of those strange veggies that I find impossible to eat raw.  Yuck.  And not very favorable steamed.  Even baked is meh.

So I've been ricing it!!   Amazing

Over the weekend I prepped everything I need to throw this dish together in the wok with no prep time.  Getting home from working out or coaching at 7pm leaves little time for prep work in the kitchen. 

I had everything pretty much measured out and ready so all I had to do was follow the steps to cook it up!

I steamed the cauliflower first.  Cut the little flower pieces off and put in glass dish cover with plastic wrap. Microwave 4 minutes.  Don't over cook.  You want it still firm.  This allows you to skip the step where you have to cook the cauliflower.

I cut up the chicken and mixed with ginger, garlic and white parts of the green onion.

I shredded the carrots and chopped cilantro and measured out what was needed.  I measured out the soy sauce also.( I used coconut aminos)

Everything was in little prep bowls and ready to rock when I got home.  It took about 20 minutes to make including the bacon cooking time.


Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 5 slices thick cut bacon, chopped (Uncured Organic Bacon for Strict Paleo)
  • 1 lb. organic chicken breast, sliced into thin pieces
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 Tb. freshly grated ginger
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped, greens and whites separated
  • 1 cup shredded carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/3 cup chopped thai basil or cilantro
  • 1-3 Tb. soy sauce (Substitute Coconut Aminos for Strict Paleo)
  • 1 tsp. sriracha or chile paste   
  • Lime wedges for serving
  • Coconut oil for frying

Directions:

  1. Chop the bacon, chicken and veggies so you can work quickly once you start cooking. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in the food processor. Pulse until it roughly resembles rice.
  2. Heat a large wok (or skillet) over medium heat. Place a rimmed dish to the side of the wok as a holding dish. Add the bacon to the skillet and fry until brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the dish.
  3. Add the eggs to the skillet and quickly scramble. Use your spoon to break into small pieces, then move to the holding dish. If needed add a small amount of oil to the wok. Turn the heat to high and add the chicken, white onion pieces, ginger and garlic. Stir fry until the chicken is just barely cooked through, then add the carrots and cook another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the holding dish.
  4. Now add the cauliflower "rice" to the wok. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes until soft, but still firm. Add all the cooked ingredients back to the wok, along with the frozen peas, soy sauce to taste, and chile paste. Toss and cook until the peas are warmed through, then toss in the green onion tops and basil. Serve warm with lime wedges.