Dietitian Spotlight: Cauliflower Fried Rice

Pineapple Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice is a quick, easy and healthy recipe that you can have on the table in about 15 minutes. This new spin on fried rice makes it easy to watch your weight this holiday season.

Cauliflower fried rice trades out the traditional white rice for riced cauliflower, which adds an extra serving of veggies as well as a nutritional boost. Using riced cauliflower to replace grains in recipes has become more popular and it is a great way to decrease calories while increasing nutrition. In addition to cutting calories, the cauliflower and variety of other vegetables are good sources of fiber which can help keep you feeling full longer, both of which aid in managing weight.

With the addition of pineapple, peas, carrots and green onion, you have a very colorful meal that is perfect for this month’s Color Your Basket Rainbow. Adding a variety of fruits and vegetables to your meals is a great way to add fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals, as each food has its own unique set of nutrients.

This recipe is also Paleo friendly, meaning it is dairy free and grain free. If you are looking for a quick and simple intro to Paleo that is friendly to your waistline, then try this recipe below.

Pineapple Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice

GF, Dairy Free, vegetarian option

Yields: 3

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients

One small head of cauliflower

1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 garlic cloves (chopped)

3 tbsp tamari sauce (gluten free)

1/2 cup pineapple (diced). Keep a tbsp or two of juice for later.

2/3 cup chopped green onion

red pepper flakes

3 oz gluten free spicy or sweet jerky (beef, turkey, or bison), chopped - optional

Black pepper/sea salt to taste

Instructions

1) For the cauliflower rice, just chop into sections with knife first then pulse in food processor or blender a few times until "riced" texture forms. Pulse for 1 or 2 seconds each time.

2) In a small bowl, beat your eggs and set aside.

3) Next heat a medium skillet or wok on medium high heat and add in your cauliflower rice, peas/carrots, sesame oil, eggs, and garlic. Stir around for a 2-3 minutes until coated.

4) Add in your tamari sauce, pineapple, and jerky (if using). Stir fry for another 2 minutes then add your onion last. Place on medium to medium high heat until everything is coated and hot. Add in a few tbsp of pineapple juice if you want it more sweet.

5) Mix again then plate or place in serving bowl. Iif there is any sesame/tamari/pineapple juice left in the skillet or wok, then pour that on top of your bowl before serving.

6) Top with crushed red pepper and black pepper/sea salt to taste if desired.

Calories: 335

Total Fat: 20g (5g saturated)

Cholesterol: 140mg

Sodium: 700 mg

Total Carbs: 22g

Fiber: 6g

Sugars: 11g

Protein: 19g

Contributor: Marian Browning, Texas Woman’s University Dietetic Intern. Marian is working to complete a Dietetic Internship and M.S. in Nutrition, in pursuit of becoming a Registered Dietitian. She has a B.S. in Nutrition from Texas Woman’s University. Marian enjoys trying new recipes as well as cooking family favorites to share with others.