Cauliflower 'Rice' with Mushrooms & Spinach

When we first started exploring cooking, we also started trying different diets and trends, too. Online especially, advice is endless. People say, "this is the healthiest way to eat," or "this diet is best for the environment," or "this food will make you smell like roses."

And we've tried a lot of suggestions along the way (no luck with the rose scent, yet).

One trend that's going gangbusters right now is 'paleo,' - the idea of eating what humans evolved to eat. Before that, it was vegan, before that low-fat.

Though each diet change has probably helped some people be healthier, it doesn't mean it's right for everyone. That very idea - one diet that's best for everyone - is a bit outlandish, given the range of places humans have lived on earth combined with the scope of our genetic differences.

So how do we sort through all the noise? How can we trust our guts, but also learn from other people?

We heard a good tip at a food event a few months back. A speaker said her benchmark for a successful diet is: 

"have millions of people done it for thousands of years?"

If yes, then there's merit in it. Otherwise, that custom, food, or habit would have been shed as something useless - a sort of cultural evolution. That's partially why something like bone broth is coming back in style.

Whether it's noise or not, the excitement around certain trends brings creativity to eating. One thing we've been loving recently is cauliflower "rice." It's a popular paleo dish with the addition of meat or eggs, but can easily be vegan or vegetarian, too. 

Cauliflower 'Rice' with Mushrooms & Spinach

We like this recipe because it only takes about 30 minutes to make, and works for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

*Bonus question: As we were testing for this post recipe, we thought, "maybe we can prep all the veggies in the food processor to make things even faster?" We haven't tried it yet, but are curious if anyone does. Let us know how it goes!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head cauliflower
• 3 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 cup onion, diced (about 1/2 small onion)
• 2 cups spinach
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp sea salt

PROCESS

• Cut cauliflower into chunks, and put into a food processor.
• Pulse 10-15 times until you get a small, rice-sized mixture.
• Heat a pan over medium heat for 1 minute.
• Add onion to pan, cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add in mushrooms, and 2 Tbsp olive oil, cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add in cauliflower, celery, sea salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook on medium for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low.  Cook for another 10 minutes.
• Combine parsley and spinach in large bowl.
• When the cauliflower and other veggies are done, add them to bowl with parsley and spinach. Add in the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, and mix to combine all ingredients.

*We've had this with a fried egg on top for breakfast, or with diced chicken for dinner. We'd love to know - what else makes a good topping?