In the past few months, I’ve occasionally written about cauliflower’s new status as a healthy staple. Its mild flavor makes it a chameleon, pairing nicely with a variety of other ingredients for healthy, satisfying fare.
Cauliflower comes from the cruciferous family. Members of the cabbage family–Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, arugula–are widely known to be crucifers. What you may not know is that turnips, rutabagas, horseradish and mustard seeds are also part of the family.
These veggies and spices are nutrient superstars. There’s no other veggie family that’s as high in vitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, folic acid, and fiber. In addition, these veggies are high in anti-inflammatory Omega-3s.
Today’s Meatless Monday recipe is a simple, cauliflower-based dish that you can whip up in a few minutes. It’s great as a base for a whole meal, or you can enjoy it as a quick breakfast or lunch. Because the rice in this recipe isn’t actually rice, it’s paleo-friendly.
The turmeric in this recipe is also a powerful anti-inflammatory. But turmeric on its own is not easily absorbed. Adding a bit of black pepper helps with the absorption.
Meatless Monday: Cauliflower Rice
- 1 head of cauliflower, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon water
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- Pulse the cauliflower pieces in a food processor, five or so times, until it resembles rice.
- Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
- Saute the cauliflower in the pan until it starts to turn color, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the turmeric and water and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Here are some more recent cruciferous veggie recipes I’ve shared on this blog:
Garlicky Kale with Tahini Dressing
Also, there are a bunch of great kale salads on this blog. Look them up in the Meatless Monday category.
In these appetite-challenging days, it is so nice to see this column! I didnt know that about tumeric and back pepper. As always, thank you!
Thanks! I’m glad the Meatless Monday columns are helpful. I did a lot of research on turmeric last fall as I was going through a medical issue. There’s been a lot of research on curcumin (aka turmeric). It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. But it’s not easily absorbable. Black pepper is one of the things you can pair with it to make it easier to absorb. Certain oils also make it easier to absorb. I take a curcumin supplement that also has phosphatidyl choline.