Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

Pre-Paleo, one of my favorite things to eat was rice. I loved the texture and the way it felt heavy and satisfying in my belly. When I saw this recipe for rice made out of cauliflower, I knew I had to give it a shot. Much like spaghetti squash and pasta, this does not taste like the original, however, it was still delicious and a quick and easy side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 8 dried apricot halves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

• Break the cauliflower into florets and remove the stems. Pulse small batches (this took me three batches) 10-15 one second pulses in the food processor.
• Be careful not to over-stuff the processor or over-pulse or you will get mush

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add apricots, raisins, pine nuts, onion, and garlic. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes. The onion will be translucent and the nuts will be browned.

• Push the onion mixture to the side of the pan, add the remaining one tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the spices to the oil, then stir everything together. When you can smell the spices, about 30 seconds, toss the riced cauliflower into the pan and saute until tender. This took about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Play around with ingredients and see what you can come up with! I subbed the spices with oregano, crushed red pepper, and used chopped sundried tomatoes instead of the fruit for an Italian flavored rice pilaf. I was awesome with Italian sausage.