Cauliflower Rice Recipe

Cauliflower Rice South West Style

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Southwestern Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

1 head Cauliflower
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 onion caramelized  (see instructions below)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 jalapeno (finely chopped) if desired
10 small cherry tomatoes
1 diced bell peppers
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 TBSP cilantro (chopped fine)
3 Tbsp. of butter or ghee
½ tsp. parsley chopped
½ cup vegetable broth
1 tsp. salt preferably Celtic Sea salt- coarse
1 tsp. Himalayan salt
1 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp. Harrissa (sweet Tunisian pepper condiment)
½ cup of Chimichurri or Salsa Verde

Directions:

Roast the cauliflower in oven at 375 for 1 hour and 15 minutes too medium browned with olive oil, 1 tsp. of each: salt and garlic powder.
It is best to layer seasonings.

Meanwhile, begin to caramelize onions. (see below)

Leave in hot oven for a few hours. Best to cook in oven day before.  Then chill the cauliflower in fridge.

Begin to sauté, in 2 Tbsp. Ghee, cook the onions, cherry tomatoes and red bell pepper. Add jalapeno. Cook until veggies are soft about 10 minutes over medium heat.

Sauteed Onions & Tomatos 

While this is sautéing. Pulse in food processor. (Do not hold the button down or rice will become over processed.) Remember we are making cauliflower into rice size pellets. So add cauliflower into food processor. Season with garlic powder and salt.

How to make Cauliflower Rice Homemade Cauliflower Rice

Assembling the Rice and Veggies:

When vegetables are sautéed, Add 1 more Tbls. of ghee and the cauliflower rice.

Add the cumin, garlic powder and salt, oregano. Salsa verde and Harissa. Finally add the vegetable broth, the salt and garlic powder, peas, cilantro and parsley.

This is the most flavorful way to eat rice and get nutritional value to your family and friends with out them even knowing they are eating Cauliflower! Amazing dish to discover. Stay tuned for more variations on this recipe.

Caramelize Onions Ingredients:

1 large onion diced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup Sherry or Marsala wine

Caramelizing Onions Directions:

First begin by caramelizing 1 large diced onion. Add oil to saute pan and heat well. Then add onions, sea salt, ? garlic powder and cook over medium heat for approx. 10 to 15 minutes. When well browned, add ¼ cup of Sherry wine and ?simmer for approx. 3 minutes longer to absorb the Sherry flavor.  Cool off onion mixture.

Onions can be stored in fridge for a few days.

pistachio cheesecake

Pistachio Cheesecake

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pistachio cheesecake

(Best if made the day or 2 days before)

Ingredients:

5 – (8 ounce) packages cream cheese softened
2/3  cup organic cane sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 package pistachio pudding-n-pie filling (Jello)
5 large eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Nielsen (Massey preferably)
¼ tsp. salt (preferably sea salt)

Crust:

1/2 cup Pistachios  shelled
½ bag Stella Doro – Margarite blend – plain vanilla – (12 cookies)
1/8 stick melted butter or 2 oz.
1- 9 inch spring form pan

stella dora cheesecake crust

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Cooking time 75 to 80 minutes

1) Make the pistachio crust by blending the Stella Doro cookies in food processor with pistachios. Once blended to a nice crumble, add the melted butter.

2) Place the crumbs in a thin layer on the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Cook until the crust is a slightly browned on top approximately 12 minutes. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes while you make your filling.

    Pistachio Cream Cheese Filling:

Whip in a mixer, 3 packages of the cream cheese, slowly for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sugar. Whip for 1 more minute. Scrape the bottom well lifting up the cream cheese mixture. Add the pistachio pudding mix and remaining sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Continue beating slowly adding eggs one at time for about 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom well with a spatula. Add heavy cream until well incorporated.

Gently pour the cheese filling on top of the chilled pistachio cookie cracker crumb spring form pan.

Place the spring form pan in a large shallow baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Fold the foil around the spring formed pan with the cheesecake filling in it. Be sure the aluminum foil acts as a barrier to not allow water to soak through the bottom of the spring pan. Add hot water 1/2 way up the outside of the spring pan aluminum barrier. Easiest to add water once pie is in placed in oven.

Bake the cheesecake until lightly browned on top and firm. DO NOT OPEN OVEN.

Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven, WITHOUT opening the oven door for at least 2 hours. *This will prevent cracking. Do not open the oven door. Once cooled, cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Leave in the spring form pan until ready to serve.

Serve with whipped cream to garnish.

curried-cauliflower

Curry Cauliflower w/Raisins & Pecans

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Whole Head Of Roasted Cauliflower.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower (approx. 2 pounds)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup water

Dressing:
1 ½ tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup of organic Mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. Celtic sea salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 carrot shredded
1 stalk celery diced fine
½ medium onion finely diced
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 cup pecans
½ cup raisins dark

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a small roasting pan place entire cauliflower in oven with water at bottom of pan. Drizzled with olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook for 35  minutes. Chill cauliflower in fridge.
Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces or medium florets. Toss the cauliflower in a large bowl with 1/2 curry powder and salt.
Mix dressing on side:
In a separate bowl mix mayonnaise, salt, garlic powder, shredded carrots, celery, onions, raisins and pecans until well blended. Pour over chilled cauliflower.  Garnish with cherry tomatoes or other complimentary vegetables of choice.

 

There is no need to disassemble or cut any cauliflower   or even squash before it is cooked. Just add the whole squash or cauliflower in the oven, cook for ½ hour to an hour, and “cut later,” philosophy.

After cooking it is so much easier to cut cauliflower into florets,  given the softness.

This recipe is a great alternative to any fall meal and can be the main attraction on your Thanksgiving table.   The nuts and raisins gives this a hint of sweetness and autumn.

Roasting cauliflower gives an added texture and “nuttiness” to this vegetable. No longer is it necessary to boil cauliflower. Roasting it gives us so many more options.

Cauliflower in all its glory takes on the flavor of it’s spices and condiments making this one of the most versatile vegetable at any meal.

Happy Spicy Condiment Cooking!

jimmy-nardello-peppers

Red Caramelized Peppers

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Red Jimmy Nardello Peppers

Jimmy Nardello are the greatest pepper find of the season These peppers  are super sweet. Plus as you roast them in the oven they get sweeter to the point of caramelization. Peppers do not require peeling after the roasting process as many other peppers do. This makes them my favorite pepper. Look for heirloom sweet red Jimmy Nardello peppers right now at your local Farmers’ Market.  Buy as many peppers as you can they are easily stored on your counter as a condiment.

Ingredients:

2 roasting pans
2-3 lbs Jimmy Nardello Peppers
1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

½ cup fruity olive oil
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

Preheat over to 350.

Lay peppers in a single layer in both roasting pans.

Pour oil over the peppers. Add salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Cook for exactly one hour and turn oven off.
Leave peppers in the oven for next 5 hours as peppers caramelizes (be sure your oven is off).

Start this simple recipe in the morning and when you get home from work you will have a sweet snack or side dish with your dinner.
Leave on the counter versus storing it in the refrigerator.

healthy-peach-cobbler

Healthy Peach Cobbler

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The mixture of pecans with the hazelnut gives the peaches extra added flavor. It is an unusual combination of flavors your taste buds will love.

Ingredients:

8 inch round cast iron pan or oven sauté pan

4 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup organic Turbinado sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Dash of kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp.. coconut flour

 roasted-peaches

Crumble Ingredients:
½ tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup hazelnut meal flour finely ground (Bob’s Mill, grain free & gluten free)
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup organic Turbinado sugar
• 2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
• Vanilla ice cream to serve over the top

Instructions:

Preheat the over to 425°.

Prepare the peaches by roasting them in the sauté pan and combining the first 7 ingredients.  Roast peaches for 15 minutes in the oven. Meanwhile, prepare the crumble in a food processor by adding the next 8 ingredients and blend in processor for approximately 2 minutes until it is a coarse consistency. Lower temperature of oven to 35o°.  Add crumble to the peach mixture in the oven and bake for another 30 minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream.

This can be prepared a day ahead and baked off while your guests are having dinner.

Health Benefits of Peaches:

Antioxidant Capacity: The peels and the pulp of peaches possess significant antioxidant proper ties. The presence of chlorogenic acid in peaches also contributes to their protective effects. Antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-crytoxanthin help in scavenging the oxygen-derived free radicals and protect the body against the harmful effects of various diseases.

Hypokalemia: Peaches contain potassium, which is vital for proper nerve signaling and cellular functioning of the body. The potassium content in peaches also helps in metabolic processes, utilizing carbohydrates, maintaining electrolyte balance, and the regulation of muscular tissues. A lack of potassium in the body can lead to hypokalemia which can affect muscular strength and can cause an irregular heartbeat. Read more…