Cauliflower Couscous with Turmeric, Blueberries and Apple
It takes just a few minutes to transform cauliflower into “couscous” with a food processor or a box grater. The result is a surprisingly fluffy grain-free ingredient able to replace couscous or white rice in any dish. Cauliflower couscous cooks up faster than you can steam or boil rice.
The first time I served this curry-spiced copycat couscous to my family, they happily devoured it before I had time to mention it was actually cauliflower.
Does Cauliflower Prevent Amyloid Plaque in the Brain?
There are tremendous brain health benefits to cooking with nutrient-dense cauliflower instead of traditional couscous or rice. Cauliflower is rich in sulforaphane, a potent phytochemical that protects the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation. Eating sulforaphane-rich foods, such as cauliflower and broccoli, helps prevent amyloid protein from accumulating in the brain. In fact, cauliflower may have neuroprotective properties potent enough to improve the cognitive impairment of Alzheimer’s.
Cauliflower is also rich in fiber. A small plate of cauliflower couscous fills you up with less calories than rice or couscous. And, fiber keeps your meal from spiking insulin levels, a process we know is bad for the brain.
Black Pepper Makes Turmeric More Potent
Finish your cauliflower couscous with a generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper. Piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper, enhances the absorption of turmeric in the bloodstream.
Cooking with Fresh Turmeric
Have you cooked with fresh turmeric yet? Less bitter than the powdered form, you’ll find this knobby root next to the fresh ginger in many grocery stores. Scrub the root well with a brush and grate using a microplane or box grater. I like to store turmeric root in the freezer. It lasts longer this way. Also, frozen turmeric doesn’t splatter its deep orange juice as much as fresh turmeric, which can stain countertops, clothing an plastic utensils.
Use one teaspoon of fresh turmeric for each half teaspoon of powdered.
What To Do With Leftover Cauliflower Couscous
Cauliflower couscous can be prepped ahead of time for even quicker meals. Store uncooked cauliflower couscous in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, place in a plastic bag and squeeze out all the air before storing.
Add raw cauliflower couscous to soups and stews as a thickening agent. Sprinkle on green salads for added texture and crunch. Use cooked cauliflower couscous in place of rice in wraps, burritos and grain salads. Make cauliflower “fried rice” by sautéing leftover cauliflower couscous with onions, garlic and carrots. Season with a dash each of low sodium soy sauce, honey and hot sauce. Top with a fried egg.
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- 1 large head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium tart apple cored and diced
- 1 shallot peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Serrano chili seeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder or 2 teaspoons freshly grated turmeric root
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 cup dried organic blueberries
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems coarsely chopped
Ingredients
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- Cut the cauliflower into quarters and trim the florets from the core. Using your hands, break apart the florets. If the core is tender, coarsely chop it and add it to the florets.
- Transfer the cauliflower pieces to the bowl of a food processor, filling it no more than ¾ full. (If necessary, process in two batches.) Process in 1-second pulses until the cauliflower pieces break down into rice-sized granules. Take care not to overprocess or your cauliflower will turn into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl. If some of the florets remain intact, just pull them out and re-process with the next batch of florets. (If you don’t have a food processor, crumble the florets on the large holes of a box grater.)
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil and warm gently. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the apple, shallot, ginger, garlic, Serrano chili and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the cauliflower couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add a small splash of water, stir, and cover with a lid. Steam for 1 to 2 minutes.
- To finish, place the cauliflower couscous in a serving dish. Add the dried blueberries and toss with 2 forks. Taste, adjust for salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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