Updated August 29, 2015.

Cauliflower is currently the MVP in the Hungry Girl kitchen! The cruciferous veggie is delicious and nutritious on its own, but the real reason I'm OBSESSED with it these days? Once blended into bits, it's a perfect swap for rice. Seriously, you can use cauliflower virtually anywhere you’d use rice... and for a fraction of the calories!

Why Cauliflower? 

We can all agree that rice is a standard base for lots of meals -- there’s a reason it’s one of the most popular foods in the world.


But the problem with rice -- especially the white variety -- is that it packs a lot of calories and carbs without a lot of nutritional value. One cup of cooked white rice has around 250 calories and 53g carbs, and it only has about 4g protein and almost no fiber. You could have TWO cups of cauliflower rice for about 60 calories, 13g carbs, 5g protein, and 6g fiber!

Another reason cauliflower is an excellent substitute for rice? Both of them have a fairly mild flavor. They really take on the taste of other ingredients in the dish. And they’re similar enough in texture that you’ll barely be able to tell the difference. So if you’re trying to reduce your calorie intake, cut carbs, and/or eat more veggies, cauliflower rice is the way to go!

Another great way to cut carbs: tofu shirataki noodles! Click here for the 411 on the low-calorie pasta swap.

How to Make "Cauliflower Rice" 

Step 1: Start with roughly chopped cauliflower. A medium head of cauliflower will yield about 5 cups. You can also save some time by purchasing pre-cut florets and chopping those.

Step 2: Working in batches, pulse cauliflower in a blender until reduced to rice-sized pieces.

Step 3: Bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook and stir the cauliflower until tender, 6 - 8 minutes. Voila... Rice!

Hungry Girl Recipe Ideas

Make low-cal fried rice. Cauliflower "fried rice" has quickly become a Hungry Girl favorite, and with good reason. This  tastes very similar to the takeout classic, but without all the grease and extra calories. Click here for an all-veggie recipe, and click here for one with chicken.

Whip up a low-carb "rice" bowl. Rice topped with protein, veggies, and sauce tastes fantastic... but it's generally packed with carby calories. Not when you start with cauliflower rice! Go burrito-style with grilled chicken and salsa, or make an Asian-inspired bowl with shrimp and teriyaki sauce.

Create your own paella. Almost 2 cups of chicken and seafood paella for around 250 calories and 22 grams of carbs… Plus 33 grams of protein?!? Check out this HG take on the delicious Spanish dish… I promise, you won’t miss the white rice.
 

Other Cauliflower Recipes

Rice isn’t the only thing you can make out of cauliflower…

Cauliflower Crust Pizza. The name says it all… This recipe uses cauliflower to make a pizza crust! You get an entire pizza for less than 300 calories. WOW.

Mashed Potatoes. What do you get when you mix mashed cauliflower with mashed potatoes? A super-sized portion of creamy comfort-food goodness with a low calorie count!

Mac and Cheese. Cauliflower is also a great expander for macaroni and cheese. Check it out!

 

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