Cauliflower "Couscous"

I was very skeptical when I read about cauliflower "rice". I don't despise cauliflower as my mom does but it's not my favorite vegetable. I especially doubted claims that it could fool my brain into thinking I was getting something like rice. But my diet is fairly limited due to some health issues and I am desperate for variety, so I thought it was worth a shot. I read a bunch of recipes online and decided to experiment. I was so happy with my first try that I took some to a family gathering. Having the women in my family taste something I made is a huge step for me as they all cook really well and me, well, the gene seems to have skipped me. The last time I asked my professionally trained chef-grandmother to try something, it was a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free muffin. She gagged, spit it out and asked how I could possibly eat something so vile. She is not afraid to tell me the truth. So I knew I hit the jackpot when she said, "This is pretty good!". Then my kids tried it and they both loved it! Victory dance :) Best of all, it is pretty quick and easy to make AND is still good reheated! 

I decided to go very basic in the seasoning so I could get a sense of how else it could be used. Just some salt and pepper this time but I think the options are almost endless. The coconut oil gives this a bit of a sweet, nutty flavor which counters the cauliflower taste well. The texture is firm and would work well on it's own or under a stir fry.  

Ingredients:

One head of cauliflower

3 Tbs Coconut oil

1/2 a large Sweet Yellow Onion

Salt

Pepper

Cut up the raw cauliflower and place in a food processor. "Pulse" until the cauliflower is shredded and set aside in a bowl . Mine looked more like couscous than rice. I had to do it in batches to do the whole head.

Finely chop the onion in the food processor. Mine was almost a pulp because I didn't want chunks of onion.

Put 2 Tbs. of coconunt oil in a large skillet set to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent and slightly browned.

Add the cauliflower and the last Tbs. of coconut oil. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes and then cover with a lid for a few more minutes. I like mine with a bit of "bite" but if you like yours softer you may need to cook it longer. I finished it off with some fresh ground peppercorn medley and Himalayan salt.

If you are trying to lose weight and are reducing your fat intake, you could make this in a non-stick pan and reduce the amount of oil (probably by at least half).

I have a few variations I will be sharing soon so if you like this recipe be sure to check back for more!

Enjoy! Please let me know what you think after you try it!

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