Cauliflower Quinoa Pilaf (Grain-free)

I have been wanting to try making cauliflower rice for ages. Finally I rescued the head of cauliflower that had been pushed all the way to the back of the fridge and got down to business.

Cauliflower rice (for those of you who have had your heads in the sand) is just cauliflower chopped up in a food processor into little tiny bits. You can steam it, or stir-fry it, or saute it. It is much lower in calories and higher in nutrients than white rice. Perfect for people who are trying to lose weight, on a Paleo or Keto diet, or just want to eat healthier food.

You can purchase cauliflower rice, both fresh and frozen, at Trader Joe's, Aldi, and probably most grocery stores. I decided to make my own. This way it would be fresher, and the process is so simple. If you own a food processor, you can do this.

I decided to combine my cauliflower rice with quinoa to make this pilaf. I saw a chef do this on Chopped, and the judges loved it. I have an enormous bag of quinoa in the cupboard, back from my days of shopping at Costco, so I really need to find more recipes that use it. I think curry spices pair perfectly with cauliflower, so I added these as well. You could take this pilaf in an Asian direction by subbing in different spices. Or you could keep it super plain by just using salt and pepper. Do it your way!

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water

1 small head of cauliflower, pulsed in food processor until very finely ground
1 large carrot, pulsed in food processor until finely chopped
1 small bunch kale (about 10 large leaves) finely chopped
4 green onions, sliced
2-3 TB coconut oil
1 TB butter or ghee
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 garlic cloves, finely minced (or more)
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root
1-2 TB soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, add quinoa and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Turn off heat and keep covered.

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, warm up the oil and butter. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Stir constantly, cooking until the veggies are soft. Add the cooked quinoa and stir to incorporate. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt and/or pepper to taste. Serve hot as a side dish. Makes about 8 servings.