Okay guys, we had a good run, but the holidays are behind us now and it’s time to get healthy. After countless home-cooked meals, seconds, and desserts (why yes, I’ll have a second piece!), it’s time to reset our bodies and renew for 2014. My plan is to cook at home, eat everything unprocessed, and keep to a flexitarian, Mediterranean diet where I get most of my healthy carbs from vegetables and fruits. It’s not a diet so much as a lifestyle. It’s always worked for me in the past; moderation and clean eating helps me to look and feel my best. I’ll be sharing some recipes with you over the next few weeks to help you recharge and shape up for the new year!
This Cauliflower “Couscous” is a ridiculously simple, low carb, all natural gluten-free substitute for couscous, rice and mashed potatoes. It’s also a great side dish to have on hand during Passover, when grains are off the menu. I’ve been serving this for several years as a side dish whenever we want to slim down. I thought the idea was pretty original, until I saw other cooks coming out with their own versions. Apparently it’s not such a new concept. Still, I wanted to share the basic idea here since it might be new to some of you. This is the simple, pared down version of Cauliflower Couscous without any fancy additions, but you can certainly add ingredients to make it more interesting. Spices, sauteed vegetables, dried fruits, parmesan cheese… there are so many ways you can go with this. Get creative! Or, you can serve it my favorite way– stir in some butter till melted, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy a comforting diet-friendly side dish. Parmesan cheese makes it a special treat. I also love serving vegetarian curry on top, or pasta sauce if I’m in an Italian mood. Oh, the possibilities!
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Cauliflower Couscous
Ingredients
- 1-2 heads cauliflower (one large head or two small), totaling about 3 lbs., or 2 lbs. cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup water
Optional Ingredients
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Parmesan cheese, sauteed vegetables, dried fruits, spices or other add-ins
NOTES
Instructions
- Remove the stem and leaves from the bottom of the cauliflower.
- I prefer to grate the cauliflower in a food processor, but you can also grate it by hand. If you plan to grate by hand, cut it into large but manageable pieces (4 or 6 per head). Rinse the pieces thoroughly to remove any debris.
- Hand grate the cauliflower using the large holes of a box or cheese grater.
- If you are using a food processor, cut the cauliflower into large florets.
- Rinse thoroughly to remove any debris.
- Place half of the clean cauliflower florets into the food processor. Pulse in the processor till the cauliflower resembles small couscous-like pieces. Do not over-process; let it retain some texture. If any larger pieces remain after the cauliflower is cut down to size, remove them from the bowl and process them separately. Set processed cauliflower aside and repeat the process with the second half of the florets.
- Place a medium pot on the stovetop and bring 1/2 cup water to a boil.
- Pour in the processed cauliflower in an even layer on top of the boiling water.
- Cover the pot with a lid. Let the cauliflower steam over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring once with a fork during cooking, till the cauliflower reaches desired tenderness. Watch it carefully; if you overcook it will burn due to the small amount of liquid. It shouldn't take longer than 7 minutes to steam. Your house will be filled with a-- umm, interesting cauliflower aroma as it cooks. Not my fave, but it's worth it, because the finished product is so darned tasty.
- Remove from heat and fluff the cauliflower with a fork; all of the liquid should be absorbed. At this point, the cauliflower can be used plain as-is as a base for sauces, curries, tagines, etc. If you'd like to enjoy it as a side dish, season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to stir in 1-2 tbsp butter or olive oil for flavor. You can also add some Parmesan cheese or any seasonings you like; it provides a good base, feel free to get creative.
Nutrition
Any way to make this ahead of time so the house doesn’t smell of cauliflower ? can it be reheated?
Hi Sherry, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. You can process the cauliflower a day in advance and cook it just before serving.
I am so excited! I was looking for a couscous recipe with very low carbs to go with my tagine I just cooked… Woo-hoo! Thank you so much for this awesome idea! Ready to try it ot!
Just tried this tonight using it as a base for a southwestern style side to accompany whole wheat tortilla “carnitas” for dinner. Instead of steaming, I put the cauliflower couscous/rice directly into a pan with olive oil. After a light toss over the heat, they were tossed in a salad bowl with rinsed black beans, chopped fresh scallions, red bell pepper & a generous amount of cilantro, seasoned lightly with store bought food seasoning. Add fresh tomato salsa & avacados on the side, and we actually managed to have a light, clean eating version of fare that used to help me pack on the pounds in the tummy area! Thanks so much for the recipe, I’ll definitely be visiting again!
Rickie I’m so pleased you liked it!
I googled a grain free substitute for couscous and found this recipe because my absolute favourite lunch is a couscous salad that has couscous, olive oil, little bit of lemon juice and sea salt and crumbled feta, olives and fresh cherry tomatoes, it is the absolute yummiest!! But couscous is soooo bad for my tummy!! So, I will try this and get back to you as to how it goes! can’t wait!! Thank you!
Enjoy Lissi! I know you’ll love it. 🙂
I steam the florets, mash in food processor and season with whatever I am in the mood for and call the dish “not mashed potatoes”. Delicious!
That works too! 🙂
This sounds delicious and clever. I’m thinking about making a fresh batch of pesto and slathering it over the “couscous” for a Passover week dinner party (post-Seder).
Great idea Naomi!
Hi. I wonder why my water did not cook out. I rinsed the cauliflower after I had put it through the food processor. Maybe that was wrong? I cooked it for about 8 minutes and it was tender, but still wet. So I strained the water out and it was fine.
Hi Deb, I cleaned the cauliflower before it went into the food processor, not after. That’s probably why you had liquid leftover. If you plan to rinse it after processing, add a little less liquid to the pan. And if you need to drain off a little, no big deal, it doesn’t affect the flavor. 🙂 Enjoy!