CAULIFLOWER: BENEFITS AND RICED CAULIFLOWER RECIPES

Did you know that cauliflower has many nutrients, anti-aging properties, and is also anti-inflammatory? Well, maybe you didn’t know that it can also substitute high carb and starchy food to instigate weight loss. You are just about to find out the benefits of this vegetable and some riced cauliflower recipes.

Cauliflower is rich in fiber, boost immunity, keep the digestive system healthy, and has low calories. It also has unique compounds that reduce the risk of heart diseases, cancer, and several others.

Read on to learn more.

Benefits of Cauliflower

1.    Cauliflower is rich in nutrients

This vegetable has an impressive nutrition profile. Although it has lots of vitamins, it is also low in calories. Cauliflower is dense with vitamin C with targets immunity boost as well as DNA repair and collagen and serotonin production. Daily consumption of vitamin K in cauliflower is advisable for bone formation. And if you don’t take vitamin K makes you prone to fracture.

Check out this overview of the nutrients found in the daily intake of a cup of cauliflower (128 grams);

• Vitamin C: 77%
• Pantothenic acid: 7%
• Vitamin K: 20%
• Folate: 14%
• Vitamin B6: 11%
• Potassium: 9%
• Manganese: 8 %
• Magnesium: 4%
• Phosphorus: 4%
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Calories: 25

2.    Cauliflower aids digestion

The percentage of fiber and water in cauliflower is high enough to prevent constipation and maintain healthy digestion. They also reduce the risk of having colon cancer. The fibers present in cauliflower also reduces inflammation by feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut. A cup of this vegetable in riced cauliflower recipes gives you 3 grams of fiber. And that is 10% of your daily needs.

Therefore, digestive conditions like constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, and diverticulitis can be avoided.

3.    Cauliflower has low-calories

This property found in cauliflower helps with weight loss. Cauliflower has 25 calories per cup, which means you can eat a lot of cauliflower without gaining weight. Hence, cauliflower can substitute high carb foods like rice and flour in your weight loss diet. Then, you can control the number of calories you consume daily. Later on, we will discuss some delicious riced cauliflower recipes you can try for weight loss.

Cauliflower also has high water content, which aids weight loss. Interestingly, 92% of the cauliflower weight is water. And water plus low calories gives you eight losses.

4.    Cauliflower has anti-aging and detoxifying

Sulforaphane in cauliflower influences your gene helps them slow down the biochemical process of aging. These vegetables also protect your nervous system and slow down age-related cognitive decline. Cauliflower also has some natural compounds that help in deactivating potentially damaging chemicals.

5.    Cauliflower can easily be included in your diet

There are several ways you can add cauliflower to your weight loss diet. It can be cauliflower rice, pizza crust, hummus, mash, tortillas, and mac and cheese. Asides from it being versatile, it is also easy to prepare. You can steam, roast, or sauté cauliflower. Some even love to eat it raw. It is cheap and available at many grocery stores out there. 

How to Prepare Riced Cauliflower

There are many ways you can convert your cauliflower head into cauliflower rice. To get the best result, you should blitz in a food processor. Simply remove all the outer leaves, cut into quarters, and the thick core. And cut each quarter again into two to three chunks. Do not overload your food processor. Add the pieces or florets bit by bit.  Then, blend till it has a rice texture. But, If you don’t have a blender, try to grate. Well, you may not have even size as a few pieces will be bigger than others. 

Riced Cauliflower Recipes

1.    Mexican Cauliflower Rice

Here is a Mexican low-carb dish where florets look so much like rice. It is completely grain-free and can serve as a very sumptuous side dish.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of cauliflower
• 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• ½ cup of diced white onions
• 2 teaspoons of minced jalapenos
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• ½ cup of diced tomatoes
• ½ cup of unsalted chicken stock

Preparation

1. Cut your cauliflower into florets. Make sure that the florets are 1-inch big. That way, you can have 8 cups.
2. Then, add half of the florets into the food processor batch by batch.
3. Let the florets process till they are small rice-sized pieces. Then, transfer the cauliflower rice into a bowl and process the remaining.
4. Next, heat your saucepan over medium heat and add olive oil and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
5. Add your garlic and onion. Then a minute after, add jalapenos and let it sauté for 30 seconds.
6. Then, add your cumin and tomato at 30 seconds intervals too, but let it sauté for a minute before adding cauliflower rice, chicken stock, and salt. Stir the mixture well.
7. Leave it to simmer for 6 minutes but stir halfway through.
8. Uncover the cauliflower rice and continue cooking until it is almost dry. This can take 3 to 4 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, taste the rice, and add more salt if required.
9. Mexican cauliflower rice is ready, but before you serve, stir in chopped cilantro and fluff with a fork.

Nutritional value: Fat 4g; carbohydrate 7g; protein 2g; calories 70.

2.    Cauliflower Fried Rice

If you want to lower your carbs intake, you can add this keto and gluten-free recipe to the list.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 24oz cauliflower (a medium head)
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 large egg
• ½ small onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 scallions
• ½ cup of frozen peas and carrots
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 large egg whites
• A pinch of salt
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Take the core out and leave the cauliflower to dry.
2. Make sure all your ingredients are ready. Your garlic should be minced, and the small onion and scallions should be finely diced too.
3. Chop the florets and place them in the food processor. Do this bit by bit and make sure the cauliflower is not over-processed. When it has a rice texture, remove it from the processor.
4. Pour egg and egg white into a bowl and beat with a fork. You can add salt to taste.
5. Heat your saucepan over a medium-sized heat and add oil.
6. Next, add eggs into the oil and cook. Keep turning until its ready and set the egg aside.
7. Then, saute onion in sesame oil and add scallion whites, peas and carrots, and garlic. Leave the mixture on medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure the ingredients are soft.
8. Now, add the cauliflower rice with soy sauce and mix it. Cover the rice and leave it for 5 to 6 minutes to cook. Stir  as it cooks until the cauliflower is crispy and tender inside.
9. Finally, add the egg you set aside earlier and mix it with scallion greens.

Nutritional value: Fats 3g; carbohydrate 14g; protein 9g; calories 108kcal.

3.    Garlic Herb Cauliflower Rice

This is another healthy side dish you’re your weight loss diet. There are fresh herbs, lemon juices, and garlic to kick up the flavor.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of Olive oil.
• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup of almonds
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• ¾ cup of fresh herbs ( e.g., chopped parsley, basil, dill, and cilantro)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• Ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. The first step should be to make your cauliflower rice. Chop the florets and pour them into the food processor in batches. Then, process until it has a rice texture and not musty. 
2. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add your sliced almonds. Stir the almonds until they are lightly toasted and fragrant. This should not take more than 3 minutes because almond toast quickly. Set aside.
3. Pour your two tablespoons of olive oil to the empty skillet and stir in your minced garlic for 30 seconds.
4. Next, add your cauliflower rice and little black pepper depending on your taste. Then, cook for 7 to 10 minutes. You should also stir from time to time. When the cauliflower is crispy and ready, turn off the heat and stir in your fresh herbs and lemon juice. Then, add the toasted almonds. Taste and add extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice depending on your taste.

Nutritional Value: Fats 6.5g; Carbohydrate 8g; Protein 3.4g; Calories 94.

Final thoughts

Simply replacing your regular rice dishes with cauliflower can help you lose weight. The fibers present in cauliflower aid digestion. There are essential vitamins like vitamin C and K present in cauliflower. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties that are all are beneficial to your body. Riced cauliflower recipes are easy to make and healthy. Replace your high-carb foods with low-carb cauliflower rice for the best results.