cauliflower…pretending to be rice? at first when i found this recipe i thought it was a normal risotto, with cauliflower, but NO it’s risotto made with “cauliflower rice.” i was excited to discover yesterday that cauliflower is not a starchy vegetable (like potatoes, corn, peas, etc), meaning they have less carbs and more fiber than their starchy counterparts.
(photo and recipe courtesy of Fork and Beans)
- ½ medium head of cauliflower, chopped in a food processor to create a rice texture
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ c. vegetable broth
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbs sundried tomatoes, packed in oil and drained
- 1 Tbs capers
- ½ tsp. fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
- toasted pine nuts, optional
- in a medium-sized pot, heat 1 Tbs olive oil on medium heat until warmed. place the shallots, garlic, and thyme inside and saute for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.
- place ½ the can of beans and vegetable broth into the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
- with an immersion blender (or if you do not have one, use a regular blender), gently blend all of the contents together in the pot until creamy and smooth. **i used a potato smasher and went for more of a chunky texture.
- add grated cauliflower, sun-dried tomatoes, remainder beans, and spinach. Cover with a lid and allow to heat through for a good 5 minutes.
- add the capers before you serve and garnish with toasted pinenuts.
*notes: i doubled the recipe because i wanted to use my whole head of cauliflower. i also added some parmesan cheese, to taste, because i always like to have it in my risotto. i was rather generous with the sundried tomatoes because i love them. and i omitted the shallot, capers, thyme, and pinenuts and it was still fantastic! i’m sure it would taste great with all that added, but for the sake of time and ease, i simplified the recipe. kevin reeeeeeally liked it and didn’t miss his rice. another one for the winnnnn!
alice in cook-ING land 