Introducing Cauli-rice: Your New Paleo Side

Asian, Coconut Milk, Herbs, Indian, Paleo, side dish, Spanish

Paleo cooking is packed with flavor, but one of the things I miss most are side dishes like rice, couscous and potatoes. While I can happily abstain from these less-than-healthy sides, it’s harder to ask my friends and family to adhere to my Paleo regimen. IMG_2597

Therefore, I’ve been trying to be creative and have come to love cauliflower rice – a.k.a. cauli-rice. Cauliflower can be transformed into a rice-like texture by using a good blender or cheese grater. Such a mild vegetable, cauliflower absorbs whatever flavors used in its cooking process.

Basic cauli-rice can be as simple as a large skillet, a grated head of cauliflower, a tablespoon of healthy fats, and 1/3 cup of chicken broth. However, by adding basic ingredients such as garlic, onion, and fresh herbs, you can create flavorful combinations that enhance your main dish while satisfying guests and families alike.

Saffron Cauil-rice

Saffron Cauil-rice

Even if you don’t follow a Paleo lifestyle, you can treat this cauli-rice like risotto. Add some saffron and peas. Or try it with mushrooms, cream and parmesan cheese. The options are endless once you grate the cauliflower and treat it like rice.

Hand-grating the cauliflower may take a little elbow grease, but a blender makes this recipe much easier. The key is to crumble the cauliflower in batches. You also need to pulse the blender to ensure that you don’t over-grind the cauliflower florets.

Below I’ve shared one of my favorite ways to make cauli-rice. This combination of cilantro, lime and coconut works great with all Asian, Indian and Spanish cuisines.

Cilantro and Coconut Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

1 small head of cauliflower or bag of pre-cut cauliflower

1 tablespoon ghee, coconut oil or olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1/4 cup red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1 lime, juiced

Process

Create the cauli-rice by cutting the cauliflower head into large chunks. In your blender, pulse each section individually until it has a rice-like texture. Remove any large fragments that don’t shred and save them for later or discard.

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Once you’ve riced all of the cauliflower, melt your oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add the cauli-rice and spread over the entire surface area of the pan. Press down and let cook for 2-3 minutes, and then mix. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes.

Then add the lime juice and coconut milk, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add salt and cilantro, stir and serve.

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Summertime Marinades: Major Mojo

Chicken, grilling, Marinade, Mojo, Paleo, Salad, Shellfish

Today’s summertime marinade is a Cuban classic – Mojo. This mix of citrus, garlic and cilantro works works great on chicken, fish and shellfish, and it might just be the new recipe to spice up your menu. Serve anyway you want – with tortillas, on a salad, or be traditional and go with black beans and rice. IMG_2158

Major Mojo (best with chicken, seafood or shellfish)

Ingredients

6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup white or yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2/3 cup olive oil or coconut oil

Process

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, place your protein into the mixture, and cover with lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Grill at 450 degrees until cooked through.

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Pork al Pastor? Yes, Please!

Lettuce wraps, Mexican, Paleo, Pineapple, pork

I came across this traditional northern Mexico dish in one of my Paleo-inspired cookbooks, Paleo By Season by Peter Servold. It was so delicious that I immediately  wrote down my modified version. I’m pretty sure my family kept saying that it was just so good, but it was hard to tell since they were talking between bites of food. IMG_1657

The key to this dish is to let the meat marinate overnight, and to use a hot, dry pan to cook it. Do not add oil to the pan because the browning of the pork is what makes this truly amazing. The pork is the star, and it really shines with this combination of flavors.

Because we strive to follow a Paleo diet, I serve this with lettuce cups instead of the traditional corn tortilla. I also add fresh chopped toppings including white onion, cilantro and lime wedges. I’m sure this pork pastor would be equally delicious on a salad or over seasoned vegetables.

The meat only cooks for 12-15 minutes so do the garnish prep-work early. You only want to stir the meat a few times while it cooks to ensure even browning. Serve right away and enjoy it while it lasts. This recipe should serve four people, but my family of three licked the plate clean.

Ingredients

1 to 1-1/2 pounds of pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2” pieces IMG_1602

1 jalapeno pepper, cut in half and seeded

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

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Butter lettuce cups

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

Process

Combine all the ingredients from the first list in a bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and let the mixture marinate for 10 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, remove the pork mixture and set it aside for about 15 minutes to help bring it closer to room temperature. Heat a large, dry saute pan over medium-high heat. Add all of the marinated pork mixture and evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn. However, don’t over stir in order to brown the meat perfectly. Serve immediately with lettuce cups and garnishes.

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