Let’s get right to this cheesy goodness.
This recipe was another one of those long-forgotten ideas I mentioned in last Friday’s post, and I’m bummed that it’s taken me this long to test and share it because it’s a game-changing, habit-forming delight.
It’s no secret that I LOVE cauliflower rice and eat it by the bowlful on a regular basis. Why is it so fantastic? Great question.
1| It lures in the flavors of whatever sauces and seasonings it’s cooked alongside.
2| It’s a great way to sneak in another serving or two of veggies.
3| It can be enjoyed in large quantities without inducing a post-meal yawn fest.
4| It cooks up quicker than brown rice (aka my grainy go-to).
For this version, you’ll start by heating a bit of olive oil and garlic in a pan. Then, you’ll rice a large head of cauliflower florets by hand (with a grater) or by pulsing them in a food processor to create a rice-like consistency. Toss the cauliflower “rice” into the pan along with some tiny-cut broccoli florets and sauté until tender and just turning golden.
While the “rice” is sautéing, you’ll make a protein-packed, nut-free hemp seed cheddar cheese sauce. Trust me when I say this sauce is magical. Smooth, slightly tangy, and high in complete protein thanks to the hemp seeds. I’m a bit obsessed with it, so you’ll probably see it being repurposed in other recipes over the next few months. Nachos, casseroles, sandwiches, oh my.
To make it, you’ll add hemp seeds, water, roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, arrowroot powder, apple cider vinegar (or another acid — lemon juice, white wine vinegar, etc.), and sea salt to a blender. Blend on high until you have a smooth, orange-hued liquid. Pour into a saucepan, heat over medium, and stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
Then, slowly pour that cheesy goodness over the broccoli + cauliflower rice…
Give it a good stir…
Enjoy by the bowlful…
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large head cauliflower, riced
- 3 broccoli stalks, destemmed and cut into very small florets
- sea salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1½ tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the riced cauliflower and broccoli florets, turn the heat up to medium, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the broccoli and cauliflower are tender and golden, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
- While the broccoli and cauliflower are cooking, make the hemp cheese sauce by adding all ingredients to a blender, and blending on high until smooth. Pour into a medium sauce pan and heat over medium. Stir continuously for 5 minutes or until thickened. As it cooks, you may notice greenish flecks from the blended hemp seeds (totally normal and to be expected with hemp seeds).
- Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli-cauliflower rice, stir, and season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
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