I’ve been a fan of stir-fry since “discovering” Amy’s Asian Noodle Stir-Fry at age 16, when I liked to eat most of my meals standing up at my desk, not unlike young Chas in The Royal Tenenbaums. Not that you care, but did you know that Ben Stiller (who plays Chas in the movie) and I are birthday twins? So yeah, I would stand at my desk and do homework while eating my microwaved dinner.

All that talk about family meals and how important they are? Yep—basically never happened in my family. I am the child of two workaholics and ate dinner alone almost every single weeknight as a teenager. It’s probably why I’m such a slow eater—what’s the rush? Anyway, so me and stir-fry go way back. It’s one of my comfort foods, simple though it may be. Most of the time it doesn’t even occur to me to share it on the blog, but the other night, I made a version I couldn’t wait to post. 

I may have posted about cauliflower “rice” a few times before, but I’m not sure I’ve ever posted a recipe with it. As we transition from one season to another (despite what the weather reflects) I’ve found myself wanting to shake up my usual dinner routines. This is always a fun change of pace—can’t remember how long it had been since I’d last made it! It also happens to be ridiculously easy. Who says you have to be on a Paleo diet to enjoy rice that’s not actually rice?

Due to the high fiber content of cauliflower, I usually prefer to serve this with some kind of animal protein instead of using beans or something like tempeh. Of course, if your GI tract is game, have fun with the plant proteins. I just wouldn’t recommend making it the first time you cook dinner for a new partner or something—definitely save this for after you’re shacked up and way beyond The Mystery.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3 green onions/scallions, sliced thin
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• red pepper flakes
• cooked veggies of choice (ex: mushrooms, broccoli, snow peas)
• cooked protein of choice (ex: beef, chicken, shrimp—I used beef prepared this way)
• light soy sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Process cauliflower florets in a food processor until it looks like rice.
2. Heat sesame oil over medium heat in a skillet. Sauté scallions until soft.
3. Add cauliflower and stir-fry a few minutes.
4. Raise heat to high Add veggies and protein. Stir-fry everything together.
5. Serve hot and season with soy sauce to taste if desired.

tk