Veggie Fried Cauliflower Rice from The Essential Vegetable Cookbook
By: Sammi Haber Brondo | NYC Dietitian
If you follow me on social media, then you know that my first book, The Essential Vegetable Cookbook officially came out for pre-order a few weeks ago and is finally (!) coming out on August 14th. (And if not, here's the news!).
I am SO excited about this book because it encompasses so much of my nutrition philosophy and what I teach to clients: the importance of eating plenty of veggies, and how to make them as part of easy recipes that don't require hours in the kitchen.
The book is organized by season and highlights 30 different vegetables. Each vegetable has its own profile page with everything you'd ever need to know about the veggie (how to select it, how to store it, what it tastes like, easy ways to prep it, and even fun facts). From there, there are different recipes with each of the vegetables. In total, the book has 130 recipes - 120 recipes with each of the 30 vegetables, plus 10 recipes for sauces, dips and dressings.
My favorite part about the book is that it's easy. I'm certainly not a trained chef, and I won't pretend to be. As a dietitian, I like to cook, I love veggies, and I'm also busy; consequently, this has taught me how to create easy, veggie-packed recipes that are flavorful and don't take hours to make.
Each recipe in the book has only 8 ingredients or less. Each of the ingredients are things you'd easily find in your local grocery store - no obscure or hard to pronounce ingredients that are difficult to find. All of the recipes take less than 1 hour total to prepare and cook, and many take less than 30 minutes (and are marked as such!).
While the recipes are easy, they're still incredibly flavorful. My husband, Jordan, who's a very choosy eater, was my taste tester for many of the recipes. If he likes them, I can almost guarantee you will too.
Because the book has gotten such amazing feedback in the few weeks it's been available for pre-order (#1 Best Seller in Vegetable Cooking and in Top #100 on Kindle - what!!!), I wanted to share a sneak peek of one of the recipes, straight from the book, so you can really get a feel for what the recipes are like.
TOP TIPS
Cauliflower rice: To save time, you can buy pre-riced cauliflower rice either fresh or frozen. I personally love the frozen one (add leftover frozen cauliflower rice to smoothies - it helps thicken them and you can’t taste it!). If using the frozen version, simply add it to the pan to heat up with the frozen peas.
Carrots: I’ve used both rainbow carrots and regular orange carrots here - either work. In fact, any veggies will really work in this recipe, which is the beauty of it. You can throw in broccoli, peppers, snap peas, etc. As long as you chop the veggie well, almost anything will go! Pro tip: use something that’s about to go bad in your fridge - it’s a great way to make use of your groceries and prevent food waste.
Soy sauce: Feel free to add more to taste. I also like adding a little less to start and adding more to leftovers when I reheat them so the dish feels a little more fresh.
Eggs: Unfortunately, flax eggs can’t be used be here. But, if you don’t eat eggs, feel free to omit them entirely. It’ll still be delicious.
Protein: I often add crispy tofu to this meal (learn how I make super crispy tofu here). You can also add chicken, beef, or simply leave the recipe as is. Believe it or not, one serving has a good amount of protein on its own without any additional protein sources added on top.
DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE? MENTION @VEGGIESANDCHOCOLATE OR TAG #VEGGIESANDCHOCOLATE I’D LOVE TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS!
Veggie Fried Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower, stemmed and coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 6 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup frozen green peas
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor, and process until only very fine pieces remain (they will resemble rice). Measure out 1 cup of the cauliflower rice, and reserve the rest for another use.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft and the onion begins to caramelize.
- Add the peas to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for another 2 to minutes.
- Add the cauliflower rice, and stir to combine. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the brown rice and soy sauce, and stir to mix. Create an open well in the center of the skillet by pushing the vegetable to the side.
- Pour the eggs into the well and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the eggs for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until set.
- Break apart the eggs, and mix everything well to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Tip: To save time, cauliflower can be bought pre-riced. Find it in the produce section, or in bags in the freezer section.
Want to learn more about healthy eating and creating a positive mindset around food and exercise?
Check out All Foods Fit, my membership program with 12 thorough lessons, or check out my e-book, 7 Days to Make All Foods Fit.
NYC dietitian: Sammi Haber Brondo | Veggies and Chocolate
