Can we talk for a minute about "Cauliflower Rice"

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Replies

  • sc003ro
    sc003ro Posts: 227 Member
    going to try this,,,,,had the mash and it is good.....talk about passing judgement...dont post if it is negative
  • nurit1979
    nurit1979 Posts: 88 Member
    who knew cauliflower rice could be so controversial?
  • nurit1979
    nurit1979 Posts: 88 Member
    on another note..I made this curried cauliflower soup last night and it was amazing (having left overs for lunch today):
    http://paleogrubs.com/curried-cauliflower-soup-recipe
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    Why not just eat cauliflower if you like it, eat rice if you like it, and please don't ruin pizza crust

    Why eat pizza when you could just eat cheese, flour, tomatoes, and eggs?

    Get it now?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Lol, all these cauliflower "substitutes" are NOTHING like the real thing. Just call the **** cauliflower "bits" or "chunks". It's DEFINITELY not rice.
    And rice ain't evil. Ask the millions of Asians that eat it every day and don't have weight issues.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
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  • nurit1979
    nurit1979 Posts: 88 Member
    And rice ain't evil. Ask the millions of Asians that eat it every day and don't have weight issues.

    It is for me, because it is a trigger food for me, just like pasta and bread are. I personally find it much easier to control my portions when I'm eating something that doesn't taste QUITE as good as the real thing. That is my own issue that I deal with though.
  • JessG11
    JessG11 Posts: 345 Member
    Bump or In or whatever because of all these yummy recipes! I love cauliflower!

    On another note, I'm pretty blown away as to why people care so much about what people call their food. I promise your life will go on just fine if people call it cauliflower rice...the world will not cease to exist!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food. I can only assume these same people lose their composure when someone brings a fruit pizza to a party - unless it's made with marinara sauce and traditional pizza crust I suppose.
    For me personally it's just about calling something that it's not. I wouldn't call a 1/4 squat a squat, or prancercising as strenuous exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
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  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
    I don't think there's anything normal about wanting to pretend something isn't what it is, but hey that's just me.
    I like rice and call it rice.
    I like cauliflower and call it cauliflower.
    I haven't tried to create a dish from cauliflower in very small bits, but it sounds delicious. I definitely don't get why this would be called cauliflower rice, since there's no rice in it, so boring me would still call it cauliflower.

    People do this all the time. I think it is very "normal" to eat foods that you like and to want to try them in new and interesting ways.

    And "ricing" is a method of cutting food. You can "rice" a lot of things.
  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food.

    Personally, I don't care at all what others call their food, and I imagine cauliflower might work well in a dish riced just as some people seem to like shredded carrots (I don't, who knows why not).

    I'm more curious about the frequency with which cauliflower is promoted not for itself, but for it's ability to mimic other foods (foods that are then dismissed as not that great, so one wonders why they are being mimicked). It's totally normal to not like rice or think it's okay, no great shakes (like I said before, I prefer cauliflower), and similarly it's totally normal not to like meat or potatoes (even if I disagree), but then why create a fake version of these things? Why not just say that cauliflower (even mashed if you must) makes a better side dish than potatoes or some such? It's not a criticism, I just don't get it, so thought it would be interesting, and not some kind of insult, to discuss.

    None of this relates specifically to the OP's post, which was more like "yum, I discovered this recipe I like!" vs. "rice can and should be replaced with cauliflower in all dishes," but this idea of cauliflower as a replacement is hardly uncommon, so I think it's interesting. With meat it kind of makes sense, as a lot of people don't eat meat despite liking it, for ethical reasons, so the same thing with rice and potatoes suggests that there's something wrong with rice and potatoes, so it leads to the questions.

    There isn't anything wrong with rice and potatoes, but there are many people who either must, or choose to, eat a diet low in carbohydrates. For those people (myself included), it can be fun to find new ways to eat foods that we love by swapping out higher carb options for lower carb options.

    The OP is not saying that rice is evil, or that no one should eat it. She was sharing a new idea that she tried and enjoyed. I don't get why it generated so many heated responses from people who are offended by calling riced cauliflower "cauliflower rice". Do they work for Uncle Ben's?
  • JessG11
    JessG11 Posts: 345 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food. I can only assume these same people lose their composure when someone brings a fruit pizza to a party - unless it's made with marinara sauce and traditional pizza crust I suppose.
    For me personally it's just about calling something that it's not. I wouldn't call a 1/4 squat a squat, or prancercising as strenuous exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Well hey that works for you. But my calling thinly sliced/chopped cauliflower rice isn't the HUGE issue people make it out to be. I think my world will go just fine if I call it that. And you know what, so will yours! I promise! I mean people call sweet in low a sugar substitute, but it's not sugar. People call tofu a meat substitute, but it's not meat. It's not a big deal people.

    Eat your cauliflower any way you want want it and call it what you like! Or don't it eat. I could care less...but please, keep the recipes coming! I love ideas of different ways to prepare foods I love!
  • JessG11
    JessG11 Posts: 345 Member
    I don't think there's anything normal about wanting to pretend something isn't what it is, but hey that's just me.
    I like rice and call it rice.
    I like cauliflower and call it cauliflower.
    I haven't tried to create a dish from cauliflower in very small bits, but it sounds delicious. I definitely don't get why this would be called cauliflower rice, since there's no rice in it, so boring me would still call it cauliflower.

    People do this all the time. I think it is very "normal" to eat foods that you like and to want to try them in new and interesting ways.

    And "ricing" is a method of cutting food. You can "rice" a lot of things.

    +1 I guess to make some folks happy we need to call it: cauliflower I chopped into rice size? :)

    Off topic: Super cute pup in your profile pic!
  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
    I don't think there's anything normal about wanting to pretend something isn't what it is, but hey that's just me.
    I like rice and call it rice.
    I like cauliflower and call it cauliflower.
    I haven't tried to create a dish from cauliflower in very small bits, but it sounds delicious. I definitely don't get why this would be called cauliflower rice, since there's no rice in it, so boring me would still call it cauliflower.

    People do this all the time. I think it is very "normal" to eat foods that you like and to want to try them in new and interesting ways.

    And "ricing" is a method of cutting food. You can "rice" a lot of things.

    +1 I guess to make some folks happy we need to call it: cauliflower I chopped into rice size? :)

    Off topic: Super cute pup in your profile pic!

    Thank you! He is my yellow lab who refuses to come indoors once snow hits the ground!
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food. I can only assume these same people lose their composure when someone brings a fruit pizza to a party - unless it's made with marinara sauce and traditional pizza crust I suppose.
    For me personally it's just about calling something that it's not. I wouldn't call a 1/4 squat a squat, or prancercising as strenuous exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    If they just called it rice and left out the word cauliflower, you'd have a point. But they didn't - they called it cauliflower rice and the name is obviously tied to its visual appearance and texture. If you want to talk Asians, if I order squirrel fish at a nice authentic Chinese restaurant, I suppose you'd protest that because they don't actually prepare it with rodents, but rather they name the dish for its visual appearance. And your suggestion that they call it bits or chunks is just silly - tons of foods are given names that aren't merely literal descriptions how they're prepared and personally I don't find "bits" or "chunks" to be particularly appetizing names. For instance, I'm happier to order a filet mignon rather than an 8oz chunk of tenderloin, but to each his own. If you ask me though, what other people call their food is a trivial issue.
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food.

    Personally, I don't care at all what others call their food, and I imagine cauliflower might work well in a dish riced just as some people seem to like shredded carrots (I don't, who knows why not).

    I'm more curious about the frequency with which cauliflower is promoted not for itself, but for it's ability to mimic other foods (foods that are then dismissed as not that great, so one wonders why they are being mimicked). It's totally normal to not like rice or think it's okay, no great shakes (like I said before, I prefer cauliflower), and similarly it's totally normal not to like meat or potatoes (even if I disagree), but then why create a fake version of these things? Why not just say that cauliflower (even mashed if you must) makes a better side dish than potatoes or some such? It's not a criticism, I just don't get it, so thought it would be interesting, and not some kind of insult, to discuss.

    None of this relates specifically to the OP's post, which was more like "yum, I discovered this recipe I like!" vs. "rice can and should be replaced with cauliflower in all dishes," but this idea of cauliflower as a replacement is hardly uncommon, so I think it's interesting. With meat it kind of makes sense, as a lot of people don't eat meat despite liking it, for ethical reasons, so the same thing with rice and potatoes suggests that there's something wrong with rice and potatoes, so it leads to the questions.
    Some people are trying to restrict carbs, which does work for some. I can totally see replacing a high starch veggie with cauliflower if following that type of diet. This is how the South Beach diet does things and I had by best success when I was following this type of diet.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food. I can only assume these same people lose their composure when someone brings a fruit pizza to a party - unless it's made with marinara sauce and traditional pizza crust I suppose.
    For me personally it's just about calling something that it's not. I wouldn't call a 1/4 squat a squat, or prancercising as strenuous exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Well hey that works for you. But my calling thinly sliced/chopped cauliflower rice isn't the HUGE issue people make it out to be. I think my world will go just fine if I call it that. And you know what, so will yours! I promise! I mean people call sweet in low a sugar substitute, but it's not sugar. People call tofu a meat substitute, but it's not meat. It's not a big deal people.

    Eat your cauliflower any way you want want it and call it what you like! Or don't it eat. I could care less...but please, keep the recipes coming! I love ideas of different ways to prepare foods I love!
    Trust that I'm not fretting or staying up a night worrying about what people call their food. Personally I find it humorous.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food. I can only assume these same people lose their composure when someone brings a fruit pizza to a party - unless it's made with marinara sauce and traditional pizza crust I suppose.
    For me personally it's just about calling something that it's not. I wouldn't call a 1/4 squat a squat, or prancercising as strenuous exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    If they just called it rice and left out the word cauliflower, you'd have a point. But they didn't - they called it cauliflower rice and the name is obviously tied to its visual appearance and texture. If you want to talk Asians, if I order squirrel fish at a nice authentic Chinese restaurant, I suppose you'd protest that because they don't actually prepare it with rodents, but rather they name the dish for its visual appearance. And your suggestion that they call it bits or chunks is just silly - tons of foods are given names that aren't merely literal descriptions how they're prepared and personally I don't find "bits" or "chunks" to be particularly appetizing names. For instance, I'm happier to order a filet mignon rather than an 8oz chunk of tenderloin, but to each his own. If you ask me though, what other people call their food is a trivial issue.
    Oh I agree it's a trivial issue. I just needed more posts to get to 25,000 so I thought I'd chime in.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • nurit1979
    nurit1979 Posts: 88 Member
    Another good recipe:
    http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2013/04/lentil-and-cauliflower-rice-tacos.html

    Don't hold it against them that they call it cauliflower "rice".
  • JessG11
    JessG11 Posts: 345 Member
    Blows my mind how people seem to care so much what other people call their food. I can only assume these same people lose their composure when someone brings a fruit pizza to a party - unless it's made with marinara sauce and traditional pizza crust I suppose.
    For me personally it's just about calling something that it's not. I wouldn't call a 1/4 squat a squat, or prancercising as strenuous exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Well hey that works for you. But my calling thinly sliced/chopped cauliflower rice isn't the HUGE issue people make it out to be. I think my world will go just fine if I call it that. And you know what, so will yours! I promise! I mean people call sweet in low a sugar substitute, but it's not sugar. People call tofu a meat substitute, but it's not meat. It's not a big deal people.

    Eat your cauliflower any way you want want it and call it what you like! Or don't it eat. I could care less...but please, keep the recipes coming! I love ideas of different ways to prepare foods I love!
    Trust that I'm not fretting or staying up a night worrying about what people call their food. Personally I find it humorous.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Well good. Finding humor is important in life...where ever you find it!

    To all you cauliflower rice lovers: do you ever prep ahead and freeze? I typically prep as much as I can ahead of time and wonder how it would hold up if I was to freeze it.
  • NikiMG1681
    NikiMG1681 Posts: 36 Member
    "ricing" is actually a cooking technique.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    In for riling up!

    Cauliflower Steaks:

    cajun_roasted-cauliflower_steaks.jpg

    DISCLAIMER: I did not name them. I do not eat them as a substitute for teh meats. But they are good!
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    Pizza base

    Something that makes a great pizza base is a portobello mushroom. Turn it upside down, scrape the black stuff out and make your own personal pizza with the ingredients, sauces, cheeses, etc. that you want. My favorite is to make a greek or Mediterranean style pizza with it.

    brush olive oil on the flesh.
    Layer 1: swipe some pesto in the cap for the sauce
    Layer 2: some basil leaves
    Layer 3: kalamata olives slived
    Layer 4: a small amount of crumbled goat and/or feta cheese or a thin slice of fresh mozzarella
    Layer 5: some whole roasted garlic cloves and a bit of prosciutto.

    Baked in the oven at 350-375 until done. Broil toward the end to crisp it a bit.
    Throw in a nice salad and you have a meal that is well under 500 calories (if you watch the amount of cheese you use, that is!)
    Okay now. That sounds amazing. Will try as soon as I can buy the stuff for it!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    The OP is not saying that rice is evil, or that no one should eat it.

    Agreed. Did you not see the part of my post that said something quite similar? Specifically: "None of this relates specifically to the OP's post, which was more like 'yum, I discovered this recipe I like!'"
    There isn't anything wrong with rice and potatoes, but there are many people who either must, or choose to, eat a diet low in carbohydrates. For those people (myself included), it can be fun to find new ways to eat foods that we love by swapping out higher carb options for lower carb options.

    I think this makes sense and is obviously the reason--that for some reason people must or think they must avoid starchy carbs and also assume that lots of other people are going to want to do this. But of course this is also the reason why these kinds of posts get a bunch of people (not me, my particular question was different, just to be clear) wanting to say "what's wrong with rice"? Clearly the answer isn't just that everyone likes cauliflower more than rice (although they should, IMO, since it's tastier)*, as was initially suggested, but there's some kneejerk assumption by many that people on a website where lots of people are trying to lose weight will want to avoid the dread potato or rice or egg yolks, etc. As there's no real reason why people trying to lose weight must avoid these foods--and as they actually have positive qualities--it makes sense that you get a backlash to what seems to be conventional diet wisdom (kind of like the low fat stuff) in the form of a defense of the foods in question. I know I've seen a ton of posts lately that seem to assume that anyone sensible and health conscious should not come within 8 feet of a potato, so that's a particular one that I'm noticing. This is different than simply saying that in my particular diet I'm avoiding X or personally dislike Y.

    Anyway, my question was slightly different--I'm just curious why the tendency would be to focus on cauliflower's alleged ability to taste like something else, vs. it's own qualities and how well they combine with the others in question. I think this weirds me out enough that I ask because IME when you are expecting one taste and get another there's usually a disappointment, and plus if I choose not to eat something it seems less helpful to try to recreate it. But obviously there's a huge market for fake meat, so I know others feel differently. I'm just interested in what makes this appealing? Is it a lingering sense that particular meals need rice or meat or whatever?

    Again, this isn't criticism of how anyone chooses to eat and I find it odd that an effort to discuss it more generally is taken as such.


    *Joking, obviously. Taste is subjective, so I'd never claim my preferences are better than those of others.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I guess to make some folks happy we need to call it: cauliflower I chopped into rice size?

    Cauliflower rice doesn't bother me, except that I personally don't think it would taste better that way, so wouldn't bother with the extra work (but tastes differ, of course). But, if you want to be more precise "riced cauliflower" would seem to fit the bill. After all, I used "diced tomatoes," but have never talked about "tomato dice." But agreed this is kind of silly.
  • Burghaus
    Burghaus Posts: 22 Member
    Bump
  • danaberge
    danaberge Posts: 117 Member
    My sister is type 1 diabetic and NEEDS to swap out higher carb options (cuz the KILL her)

    WHOO-HOO cauliflower rice!!! She made it, it's amazing...

    I also love to swap out cauliflower for potatoes in my own cooking because it tastes great, high in fiber, lower in carbs and even my KIDS like it.

    Thanks for the recipe ideas!!!
  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
    The OP is not saying that rice is evil, or that no one should eat it.

    Agreed. Did you not see the part of my post that said something quite similar? Specifically: "None of this relates specifically to the OP's post, which was more like 'yum, I discovered this recipe I like!'"
    There isn't anything wrong with rice and potatoes, but there are many people who either must, or choose to, eat a diet low in carbohydrates. For those people (myself included), it can be fun to find new ways to eat foods that we love by swapping out higher carb options for lower carb options.

    I think this makes sense and is obviously the reason--that for some reason people must or think they must avoid starchy carbs and also assume that lots of other people are going to want to do this. But of course this is also the reason why these kinds of posts get a bunch of people (not me, my particular question was different, just to be clear) wanting to say "what's wrong with rice"? Clearly the answer isn't just that everyone likes cauliflower more than rice (although they should, IMO, since it's tastier)*, as was initially suggested, but there's some kneejerk assumption by many that people on a website where lots of people are trying to lose weight will want to avoid the dread potato or rice or egg yolks, etc. As there's no real reason why people trying to lose weight must avoid these foods--and as they actually have positive qualities--it makes sense that you get a backlash to what seems to be conventional diet wisdom (kind of like the low fat stuff) in the form of a defense of the foods in question. I know I've seen a ton of posts lately that seem to assume that anyone sensible and health conscious should not come within 8 feet of a potato, so that's a particular one that I'm noticing. This is different than simply saying that in my particular diet I'm avoiding X or personally dislike Y.

    Anyway, my question was slightly different--I'm just curious why the tendency would be to focus on cauliflower's alleged ability to taste like something else, vs. it's own qualities and how well they combine with the others in question. I think this weirds me out enough that I ask because IME when you are expecting one taste and get another there's usually a disappointment, and plus if I choose not to eat something it seems less helpful to try to recreate it. But obviously there's a huge market for fake meat, so I know others feel differently. I'm just interested in what makes this appealing? Is it a lingering sense that particular meals need rice or meat or whatever?

    Again, this isn't criticism of how anyone chooses to eat and I find it odd that an effort to discuss it more generally is taken as such.


    *Joking, obviously. Taste is subjective, so I'd never claim my preferences are better than those of others.

    Honestly, I'm not a fan of cauliflower at all, but I'm giving it another shot this week!

    And yes, I did see that part of your post. I just haven't figured out how to bold the part that I'm trying to talk about. :blushing:
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Lol, all these cauliflower "substitutes" are NOTHING like the real thing. Just call the **** cauliflower "bits" or "chunks". It's DEFINITELY not rice.
    And rice ain't evil. Ask the millions of Asians that eat it every day and don't have weight issues.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    Interesting that you chose the asians and not...say... some other population that eats rice frequently.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    "ricing" is actually a cooking technique.
    BINGO!

    And some how riced cauliflower is fine, but cauliflower rice makes the food Gods angry.
  • imju5tme
    imju5tme Posts: 85 Member
    I don't think there's anything normal about wanting to pretend something isn't what it is, but hey that's just me.
    I like rice and call it rice.
    I like cauliflower and call it cauliflower.
    I haven't tried to create a dish from cauliflower in very small bits, but it sounds delicious. I definitely don't get why this would be called cauliflower rice, since there's no rice in it, so boring me would still call it cauliflower.
    Do you know what the verb is for chopping a vegetable or other food into small bits?

    mince :wink: