Enjoying some cauliflower rice

One of the things about being on the Whole30, or adhering to the paleo lifestyle, is being more creative with your side dishes. I can eat vegetables almost any way you serve them, but I am always looking for ways to get the rest of my family in on the action. I didn't get to try this one out on anyone else since we had some illnesses this past week, but I fully enjoyed making cauliflower confetti rice.

Cauliflower rice is all the rage in the paleo world. When you cut rice out as a side dish, you are eliminating a dish that is useful in sopping up all of the juices from various meals. There is also something nice about just having a simple side that doesn't overpower other flavors in your meal. I always forget how much I love cauliflower, but making this dish brought back that serious love. For a while I thought that cruciferous vegetables were wreaking havoc on my stomach, but it turns out that I think it's lactose, so bring on the vegetables!

It started with basic food prep. I took a rice pilaf recipe from Well Fed and followed the recipe for confetti rice instead - sliced bell peppers, onion, garlic and shredded carrots. Then you put an entire head of cauliflower into the food processor and pulse for a few seconds until it looks like rice. After that, simply roast it in the oven for an even more intense flavor - and to enjoy the smell as it cooks!

It's hard to see, but the cauliflower browns on the edges and smells amazing. I seriously could have eaten the entire tray like this. Sauté all of the vegetables then mix in the "rice" and you have an amazing dish that fills you up and doesn't leave you feeling guilty.

I'm still going to try this on my family, but for now, I definitely enjoyed the fruits of my labor.