Sometimes, I’ll be reading a food blog (you know, one of the hundreds I subscribe to) and I’ll see some random food combination or recipe and think “Really? What the heck was she thinking?” And it’s always the girls, right Matt? The guys always do “normal” combos, and us girls? Sometimes, I just don’t know…
Then sometimes, there’s something I think is weird the first time I see it, and then it sticks in my brain. It’s like a peanut butter smear that just won’t go away. I ponder, and think, and revisit posts dozens of times… and then I ask the author for specifics about that recipe or combo. And then I think on it some more. And then I find myself in the aisle of the grocery store that happens to have 90% of the ingredients I need, and I decide to go for it.
And you’re thinking now “Whattheheckisshetalkingaboutnow?” Yeah, I can read your mind from here OOOOoooooOOOOHhhhhhhhh….
I’m talking about Gina’s raw cauliflower sushi rice. I saw it months ago when she was in culinary school at 108 Degrees, and it stuck in my head. I know it’s not her recipe per se, but she’s the one I associate with it. I asked her today if there was a recipe or to just go with the ingredients til they taste right, she said to go by taste, and so I went. Mostly because well, with this whole “not eating grains or many carbs” Paleo diet thing, the thing I miss the most is definitely sushi.
In my food processor went a small head of raw cauliflower, which I pulsed until it vaguely resembled rice. Then I transferred it to a bowl and seasoned it with about 1/4 c. rice vinegar, one packet of Splenda (SHAMEFUL ha right), salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Then I tried my hand for the first time at rolling my own sushi rolls.
I ate 2 rolls like the one pictured, then stirred the leftover ingredients together into a salad of sorts with a bit of sesame oil and sesame seeds. I have this feeling that I’ll be buying a lot more cauliflower now, and Adam, I apologize… you do have to sleep in the same room as me…
- Don’t forget to vote in the Cuteiversary Contest! Check out the entries on the last Cute Food Saturday post, then vote in the poll on the right hand side of the blog.
- Go shopping! The 50% off sale on the oil and vinegar set only lasts until next Wednesday!
- Enter Ashley’s Blogiversary contest!
Have a great Thursday all!
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Mmmm. The cauliflower sushi sound super yummy. It processes into a rice like substance? How would it taste with some sesame oil, sesame seeds, and various other veggies – a stir “un-fried” ? I have a bunch of cauliflower I need to use up. I know what I’m making.
Very cool idea! And very good-looking sushi! Brent and I love that wasabi paste!
.-= Victoria´s last blog ..Indian Night Courtesy of Trader Joe’s =-.
thank you for the shout out! your sushi came out beautifully!
that wasabi IS hot.. we’ve tried it before
have a great night, friend- i had fun chatting w you this evening
xoxo
.-= gina (fitnessista)´s last blog ..Reader’s Request: Pre-pregnancy Nutrition =-.
Your sushi looks great! I have never tried to make it – I am afraid!
Gah! I am so happy you posted this. I saw your tweet earlier about Gina being a genius. My first thought was a) duh, and my second thought was b) oooh what did she try and love?
I’m so pumped the raw “rice” is delish. I don’t like cauliflower, but maybe I’ll buy it for this reason. FAB!
.-= Kailey (SnackFace)´s last blog ..Mentally Spent =-.
That looks so yummy, and still has all of the great sushi flavors!
.-= Meghan@traveleatlove´s last blog ..Spring-like Sunday =-.
hey mara!
i’m so excited i found your blog! i’ll definitely be coming back often…
and while i haven’t tried this specific recipe, i definitely agree gina is a genius!!!
.-= susan´s last blog ..we be rollin… =-.
Awesome! Looks great! I made cauliflower “risotto” awhile back. It’s funny to think of replacing rice w/ it!
.-= Christina´s last blog ..Cajeta =-.
I love that Polish chocolate. I had some of that last year when I was in Warsaw for a weekend. Yuummmmmm!! Btw, I am always trying new foods and strange combos…you will be very surprised in what works
.-= amanda´s last blog ..Food Porn =-.
I do a lot of subbing cauliflower for rice and I was just thinking the other day about trying it in sushi. I guess I can’t take credit for that idea anymore! But glad to know it works
.-= Cara´s last blog ..Roasted Beet Frittata with Beet Greens, Shallots, and Goat Cheese =-.
That raw sushi is an excellent idea! We have a sushi set unopened some place, I need to bring it to life. Not sure if Dustin would be open to the whole raw cauliflower thing though LOL. I’ll start traditional and then surprise him sometime.
Jenn
that’s so clever!! white rice doesn’t actually have much flavor, but it sounds like your cauliflower rice does!
.-= Tyler´s last blog ..The secret to good cooking =-.
Yum! I recently made veggie fried “rice” with shredded cauliflower and I often fold shredded cauliflower into my rice when eating stews and curries so that my husband and I can have more “carbs” with our dinner.
This is yet another great idea!
sounds and looks delish~~
.-= coco´s last blog ..Let the fun beings! =-.
Impressive!!! My husband wants to make sushi so badly but it intimidates me!!!
.-= Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly´s last blog ..This Is Why You Have A Baby! =-.
what a cool idea! And another reminder that I need to buy a food processor!
.-= brandi´s last blog ..Spain 2010: A Foodie’s Dream and a Bull Ring =-.
“peanut butter smear that just won’t go away” – Hahah! Were you looking at my keyboard!?
I’m so intrigued by the cauliflower rice! Your sushi looks REALLY good – restaurant quality!
.-= K from ksgoodeats´s last blog ..Whitey Tighty =-.
Can you please explain why it’s OK to eat chocolate on your diet, but not rice? I would think using a bit of brown rice in your sushi is surely less damaging to one’s health than a chunk of chocolate (even if it dark, it is still a processed food full of candy and fat.)
I don’t understand why people think fad diets are some kind of magic cure. If you’re sincerely interested in health, I don’t think you’d give up foods that are actually quite nutritious.
You mentioned missing the beans in your meaty chili. Beans are incredibly good for you, and excessive amounts of red meat is not. I think if you spoke to a nutritionist, you’d realize you just might be leading yourself astray….
As a matter of fact, I HAVE spoken with nutritionists, RDs and personal trainers, and based on my history of what’s worked for me and what hasn’t, they agree with me that grains and carbohydrates like beans and corn illicit a sugar type response in my body which cause me to hold on to weight. I know beans are good for most people, and excessive amounts of red meat are not. However, beans are not good for ME at the moment, as the few that I had just the other day made me feel bloated for hours. I’m not eating excessive red meat. As a matter of fact, I’m eating excessive vegetables with healthy portions of meat thankyouverymuch. I’m not a blogger that reveals EVERY aspect of my meals, diet, exercise, and excrement. This is not a fad diet, I’m changing the way I eat to make myself FEEL better, and the fact that it fits into a certain plan thats been around for oh, thousands of years, is simply a coincidence.
Why is ONE SQUARE of that chocolate OK? Because I like it, and it doesn’t make me feel like garbage.
ALSO, a roll of sushi as I made it has almost 2 cups of “rice” in it. 2 cups of brown rice is not, as you put it, a “little bit.”
i think that mara is demonstrating extremely healthy choices because she allows herself to indulge occasionally in chocolate- it’s not realistic, or healthy to deprive yourself of things you love for “health’s” sake. mara is doing an excellent job of fueling herself the way she sees fit,and who is anyone else to judge or berate her based on her choices?? she’s doing what is best for HER and i think it would be smart to find a better use of your time than judging other people’s food choices.
.-= gina (fitnessista)´s last blog ..Reader’s Request: Pre-pregnancy Nutrition =-.
Thank you Gina
I’m all warm and fuzzy now!
I meant to say the chocolate is full of SUGAR, not CANDY. bit of a typo!
What good does it do you, Scared Sandy, to berate this blogger? If you aren’t here to support her or you arent interested in her recipes, why are you here at all?
.-= Branny´s last blog ..Mapledoodles =-.
In fact Sandy, perhaps you need to do a bit more “nutritionist” research as “fad diets” do not include allowing yourself a bit of chocolate. Having a small amount of something sweet is something nutritionists recommend as part of a healthy lifestyle as opposed to cutting out everything and then bingeing on an entire chocolate cake.
Thanks Kate! Sending big hugs your way
I was just reading all the comments– sorry for the harassment you received! I am on board with you in terms of cutting out those sugars in my diet, but sometimes you need a sweet in your life and dark chocolate is a decent choice all things considered! Anyway, I was going to ask you if the cauliflower “rice” stayed together well? Sushi rice is rather sticky… how did the cauliflower hold up in the whole rolling process? THANKS!
.-= Eileen´s last blog ..Spaghetti (Squash) and meatballs! =-.
Thanks for your support Eileen!
The cauliflower “rice” didn’t hold together as well as I would’ve liked, but I think some of the problem was that I used too much. Next time, I’m using less “rice” and more filling, and rolling the rolls tighter. Give it a try! It’s fabulous!
When Gina wrote about that rice, I was totally curious too. It looks so different from anything I’ve ever tried before. I’m glad it turned out good. BTW- you are awesome at rolling sushi. I SUCK at it!
.-= Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat)´s last blog ..Aurorae Yoga Mat Giveaway! =-.
Holy YUM!
That was 100% food porn!
Hahaha
Have a great Friday, Maya!
Brazilian XOXO´s,
Gabriela
.-= Gabriela (froyolover)´s last blog ..And The Real Truth Is… =-.
you are your own best advocate – do whats right for you! obviously a ton of us support your decisions and your efforts & thats all that matters
you rock
.-= kate´s last blog ..Great night makes up for rotten time at grocery store =-.
I want.
.-= glidingcalm´s last blog ..India Post #34: Last Day in India + Traveling Home =-.
My question, of course, is does it taste like raw cauliflower? Because me and raw cauliflower aren’t friends. At all.
.-= Marianne´s last blog ..My Olympics Part 10 – Commuter Chaos =-.