Cauliflower Craziness

Cauliflower! It’s everywhere. We now have access to cauliflower pizza, cauliflower tots, cauliflower rice, cauliflower cookies, cauliflower steak, cauliflower burgers, etc. The list goes on and on and on.

Honestly, I think it has gone a little too far. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE cauliflower, but I don’t think we need to make every junk food item out of cauliflower.

I will admit, it can be a great substitute to make your meals healthier, so I wanted to do a post on what I have found to be worth it vs. what I have found to be……gross.

• Cauliflower Rice
  • I would say that rice is in my Top 5 “Foods Catheryn Can’t Stop Eating.” If someone makes rice in any form, I eat way too much it. I have no sense of portion control.
  • Enter cauliflower rice. This really is a game changer for me since I do have a portion control problem with rice.
    • It is very easy to prepare if you get the pre-riced bags at Trader Joe’s. All you have to do is sauté it in a pan with your seasonings of choice.
    • I like to do cilantro lime rice and spanish rice. Pinterest has even more ideas for how to season and prepare cauliflower rice.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: If you love rice like me, give this one a go. You will save at least 100-150 calories per serving.

• Buffalo Cauliflower (Homemade)
  • It has been a few years, but Alex and I did make a really good buffalo cauliflower dish when we lived in Madison. I remember it being pretty painless, so I definitely want to try it again.
    • It basically consisted of coating cauliflower florets with a buffalo sauce mixture and roasting it in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
  • We ate this and we were full the rest of the day – it was crazy. It is more or less supposed to be a replacement for chicken wings.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: I would definitely make this again. Although, I don’t think baked chicken wings are that bad for you 🙂

• Buffalo Cauliflower (Frozen) 
  • I found this bag of frozen buffalo cauliflower at the store recently and decided to try it. It wasn’t as good as the homemade version (above), but I still thought it made for a quick and easy lunch.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: If you are in a pinch for something healthy, try it out!

• Mashed Cauliflower
  • Alex and I have made this several times as a side dish, and we love it. I think it tastes pretty similar to normal mashed potatoes.
  • I typically boil the cauliflower for 5-7 minutes, strain it, and then blend it. I add a little bit of butter and salt when I blend it – it does need a little bit of love. You could always add in sour cream or cheese as well.
    • I still try to keep it somewhat healthy, so I try to minimize my additions.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: We will continue to make this as a side dish once a week! It is quick, easy and tasty!

• Cauliflower Tots (Frozen)
  • I tried these cauliflower tots the other day and they were absolutely disgusting. Not to mention, it was still 110 calories for 6 tots! I don’t even think you are saving calories here.
    • You could try making homemade cauliflower tots, but I don’t think it would be worth it.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: Stick with the normal tots. 

• Cauliflower Crust Pizza
  • Oh my gosh. Never ever try to make a cauliflower crust pizza unless you want to spend 2+ hours in the kitchen. We tried to make this once, and I about pulled out my hair. It was extremely frustrating and took way too much time. I am probably not a patient enough person, but it was NOT worth it.
    • Also, most recipes tell you to add in a TON of cheese (like 2-3 cups). Maybe it’s just me, but I think you are somewhat ruining the “healthiness” of the crust by adding all this cheese. If you are doing the Keto diet, this may be for you, but if you are simply trying to reduce calories, I wouldn’t try this.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: Stick with your normal pizza and portion control!

• Roasted Cauliflower
  • Maybe no one has thought of this before (*sarcasm*), but I love preparing cauliflower by simply roasting it in the oven with olive oil and salt for 30 minutes.
    • We have meal prepped our veggies like this and they save really well for the entire week.
  • Catheryn’s Verdict: Stick to the basics. Give this one a try now and then.

I think that covers all of the different forms of cauliflower I have tried. At this point, I am feeling a little burnt out on all the cauliflower, so it might be time to move on to some other veggies! I will say though, that cauliflower rice is a life saver for me (and my hips).

What do y’all think of cauliflower? What recipes have you tried? I know Trader Joe’s came out with their own Cauliflower Pizza Crust, but I haven’t decided if I am going to try it yet.

Please leave a comment down below with your thoughts and opinions. I would love to hear from you!