Spaghetti squash, cauli rice, etc actually good???

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  • TheBlizz35
    TheBlizz35 Posts: 142 Member
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    I've made chinese "fried rice" using cauliflower and it was delicious. Here's the recipe I've tried: http://therecipecritic.com/2015/01/cauliflower-fried-rice/

    You can even buy bags of cauliflower rice if you don't own a food processor to make the rice. Spaghetti squash isn't bad with tomato sauce over it, but the thing I make the most is the zucchini noodles. So easy and great with pasta sauce. I don't even need to cook them. The noodles raw are still great; firm like spaghetti and sauce and maybe a little shredded parmesan is all it needs. I make that meal at least once or twice a week.
  • CatherineLaurel
    CatherineLaurel Posts: 197 Member
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    @theblizz would the bagged cauliflower be frozen aisle or fresh produce?
  • CatherineLaurel
    CatherineLaurel Posts: 197 Member
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    @kirstenb13 being able to eat a.mountain of fried "rice" is definitely goals!!!!
  • CaptainOlson
    CaptainOlson Posts: 15 Member
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    @cla11b my wife and I have been buying the Green Giant Cauliflower Crumbles from Target whenever we can. In fact, I'm supposed to stop by and pick up a few bags on my way home. We usually wind up taking everything they have in stock.

    For the record, they are in the refrigerated section of the produce department. Usually right next to all the bagged lettuce and salad mixes.

    We make spanish rice and fried rice with them all the time. I also make the pizza crust using the recipe on the back of the bag. The first time you attempt to make the crust it might feel a little daunting, but it is really pretty simple. The real key is to lay the cauliflower crumbles on a towel to cool after you microwave them. Once they cool, you use the towel to squeeze as much juice out as you can. Then, just mix the ingredients with an electric mixer. We always make four small crusts instead of one big one because they cook better that way.

    I admit that it is no replacement for real pizza, but a little bit of sauce and a little bit of meat topped with a sprinkle of cheese is good enough to keep the craving under control.

    I'll see if I can dig up our rice recipes for you.
  • TheBlizz35
    TheBlizz35 Posts: 142 Member
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    cla11b wrote: »
    @theblizz would the bagged cauliflower be frozen aisle or fresh produce?

    I've seen it in the fresh produce aisle. Not sure about frozen but it might be there as well. Look at the area where they package prechopped things that are refrigerated. It's usually by the prediced veggies like onion/pepper combos. Depends on the store. I made the cauliflower fried rice recipe and threw in some rotisserie chicken. Fun for something different. Cauliflower isn't my favorite so I was happy to find something that made it edible. :smiley:
  • Wolfena
    Wolfena Posts: 1,570 Member
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    I think steamed veggies of any type are delicious on their own... or with a spritz of butter spray.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    I spiralize and rice a lot of vegetables. Www.inspiralized.com is an awesome place to start. You want sauces that "go" with the vegetable, not just with noodles.
  • olygirrrl
    olygirrrl Posts: 32 Member
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    Just bought a spiralizer recently and I love it! So far have only done zucchini but ready to try it on more veggies :smile:

    Also, I like to do half cauliflower and half Yukon Gold potatoes and several garlic cloves in a pot. Cook like you would for mashed potatoes and then mash it all together when everything's soft at the end. Great alternative to all potatoes and the garlic adds a lot of flavor!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I think if you go into eating zucchini noodles, mashed cauliflower or riced cauliflower as a die hard pasta and rice lover who wants it to be pasta and rice you will be disappointed. If you go into it as a way to eat more vegetables and lower calories with the same flavors of some dishes then you will probably find things you like.
    Zucchini noodles cook very quickly- like 3 minutes. If you cook it longer they get a bit mushy.
    http://www.skinnytaste.com has some spiralized vegetable noodle recipes. You can find simar ideas on pinterest as well.
    Stuffed zucchini instead of lasagna or pasta shells is pretty tasty.
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 356 Member
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    I don't even eat regular pasta anymore. I love spaghetti squash with ground turkey and 1/2 cup of the healthiest marinara or pasta sauce I can find and it fills me up and it's way lower in carbs/calories than the alternative. Same for cauliflower rice. It's a huge hassle to drain all the water out of the cauliflower but if you want a low carb alternative, it's the way to go.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    spaghetti squash is great...not as a substitute for spaghetti as it is not in any way similar in taste or texture...it's just a good vegetable. Cauliflower is great...it's a delicious vegetable...but IMO also not a substitute for things like potatoes and whatnot. I just look at these things for what they are, not as substitutes for this or that. Personally, I'm not worried about carbs and have no irrational fears about them so I don't see a need to substitute things for them.

    Side not...I don't generally eat starches or grains with dinner because it's a way for me to control my calories (I don't log or count calories)...but I don't look for substitutes for those things...I just eat double or triple veg with my protein.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    I don't have a spiraliser (seriously considering it) but I find subbing veg for some of your pasta can be a real improvement, in flavour and texture as well as nutrition. Cheesy pasta with carrots, peas and sweetcorn is good, as is lightly cooked courgette and pasta tossed with butter and cheese. The trick is to cut the veg a similar shape to the pasta so it mixes well and doesn't all sit on top or sink to the bottom.

    I also made gnocchi with sweet potato instead of ordinary potato and it was pretty good.
  • brighteststitcher
    brighteststitcher Posts: 62 Member
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    Spaghetti squash is the devil, but cauliflower rice is my new fave. Perfect for cauliflower fried rice or with any type of meat. It's not rice, it's much different - but in fried rice you can hardly tell the difference. I agree with the spiralizer fans, too. So fun and awesome.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I love cauliflower fried rice, made with riced cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, green onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, bacon, and eggs. Warning, it isn't like rice - it's a delicious way to eat a bunch of veggies.

    My favorite bread substitute that really is fairly close to bread is to make protein powder pancakes or quick breads. I forget that I'm getting 40 grams of protein, not a bunch of carbs. It's good with zucchini, pumpkin, banana, or riced cauliflower added to the batter, and I'm sure there are other ways to incorporate fruits or veggies. I make pizza bread by baking it with tomato sauce and cheese.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Love the frozen cauliflower rice but it's always sold out at the store near me :-(

    I spray the pan w oil spray, pour the whole bag in the skillet, add salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic powder, chopped onions and frozen peas and its sooooo good, tastes like fried rice.

  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
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    I like spaghetti squash, cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, etc. but they have their own taste and they're not really substitutes for the originals; you have to appreciate them on their own without thinking "this ain't really rice I'm eating". The idea about mashing half potatoes and half cauliflower together is an interesting one, I have to try that.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    NaturalNancy wrote: »
    Love the frozen cauliflower rice but it's always sold out at the store near me :-(

    I spray the pan w oil spray, pour the whole bag in the skillet, add salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic powder, chopped onions and frozen peas and its sooooo good, tastes like fried rice.
    If you have a food processor, it's easy to rice cauliflower yourself. The hardest part is drying out the florets. I do it in the salad spinner.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    They are good but they're not substitution for the real thing if it's really what you crave.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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    @lithezebra I don't have one :-( but I hope to get one soon, thank you! :-D
  • fitpal4242
    fitpal4242 Posts: 109 Member
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    Spaghetti squash is awesome if you take it for what it is- if you think it should taste like pasta, you will be so, so disappointed. I like it sautéed with garlic, spinach and sun dried tomatoes,topped with some feta and Parmesan. I also eat it sometimes with trader joe's Thai curry sauce and tofu.
    Cauliflower rice is not good- it tastes like cauliflower, no matter what others say. I also tried cauliflower pizza crust this weekend and it wasn't great, and it was bonded together with more cheese than i'd ever use on a regular pizza.

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