Cauliflower chicken “rice”

I will probably end up sharing this cauliflower chicken rice recipe with you on a number of separate occasions as it’s quite frankly one of the most versatile dishes you can make. My 3 yr old adores it too and it is ever so quick to make.

My mother hates cauliflower with a passion, her mother used to mash it up and disguise it in mashed potatoes just so that she would eat it when she was a young girl. So for me, as a child, cauliflower wasn’t something we had on a regular basis. If we did have it, it had been boiled to mush and was, quite frankly, bland and boring. But as I’ve got older I’ve realised what an incredible vegetable it is and how adaptable it is when cooking. I make pizzas with it, omelette, pies and I even saw a girl using it in a cake recipe the other day on Instagram!

Why is cauliflower good for you?

• NUTRITION: Cauliflower is a high in nutritional content and amazing vitamins and minerals it contains vit B1, B2, B5, B6 and B9. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids and vit K
• ANTIOXIDANT: It’s also a great source of vitamin C (one serving contains 77% of the recommended daily value of vit C) and manganese which are both very powerful antioxidants. It also contains major carotenoids which can help protect you from / and reduce you risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer
• DIGESTIVE SYSTEM SUPPORT: One cup of cauliflower is equal to approximately 3.35g dietary fiber. Cauliflower also contains a substance called glucoraphin which has a positive protection effect on the stomach lining

This dish I am sharing with you is warming and nutritious and gives you the same satisfied feeling, without leaving you feeling sluggish. It is incredibly low carb. Don’t be put off by how “green” the dish is, because I assure you, you will be going back for seconds, thirds and ….oh wait, you’ve licked the pan clean.

What you need: (For two very large portions or four smaller ones)
*1 cauliflower
*1 large red onion (or 2 small ones)
*1 handful of coriander
*1 green pepper
*2 handfuls of spinach
*1 two-inch cube of ginger
*1 small green chilli
*5 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
*Coconut oil
*2tsps curry powder (natural)
*21tsp cumin
*1/2 tsp sea salt
*1/2 tsp pepper
*1 medium egg

Directions:

• Roughly chop 1 large red onion (or two small), 1 pepper, 1 peeled two-inch cube of ginger, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 small green chilli
• Place into blender and pulse until finely chopped
• Place chopped cauliflower in to blender and pulse until rice like consistency
• Chop five boneless and skinless chicken thighs and place in to a large saucepan with 2 tsps of coconut oil
• Fry off chicken with the spices (2tsps curry powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1/2 sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
• Once chicken is golden add the pepper and onion mixture and cook through for an additional 3 mins
• Add in the cauliflower, cook for an additional 5 minutes stirring occasionally
• Add one egg, 2 handfuls of spinach and stir constantly for one minute
• Add chopped coriander (leave some spare for garnish)
• Serve immediately with a large wedge of lime

If you aren’t a fan of chilli or any of the above ingredients (other than the cauliflower, obviously!) then you can take them out and add in anything you would prefer. As I mentioned above this is a really versatile dish so have as much fun with it as you like. I would love to hear how you get on and if you have any tips for me please share!